Dangerous Collisions
by The Dark Knight's Princess
Summary: Xover with Criminal Minds. With a dangerous killer running wild on the streets of New York, the SVU squad has been forced to call in some much needed help from the BAU. What happens when the killer starts targeting those among them? This just goes to show, relationships are like bones; they bend and eventually break under extensive amounts of pressure. Multiple pairings inside!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Bam! Crossover! Whoo! I would have posted this in the crossover section, but I've noticed a trend that stories in the actual Crossover section never really get read. So...I posted here. **

** I've never done this before guys so bear with me even if it does get a little rough at some points. ****It also might be…a little darker than what I usually write at some points so beware of that as well.**

**Eeeek I'm super excited for this. Casandra Abbirena Jemily and Rolivia all in one story! Oh my gosh it's like Fanfiction overload! Omg if I could only throw some Rizzles in there my life would be COMPLETE. But…that would be over doing it. We'll save the Rizzles fluffiness for a later date. **

**Anyhow, this story is gonna be…well…like I said, it's different for me to write so it may be a little different for you guys to read. Even if you have never watched Criminal Minds, you can read it anyway and just pretend all of the new characters are OFC's lol. I'll shut up now. Hope you enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any character from the Law and Order Francis, and I don't own any character from Criminal Minds. **

**Warning: Occasional dark themes. **

**November 29****th**** Approx. 7:55pm. Manhattan, New York **

Leslie Bartlett groans and rolls her head from side to side as she slowly comes back in to the world of consciousness. She has the blink her eyes several times for them to adjust to the single lamp hanging in the room.

Shaking her head to bring her vision into focus, she notices the unfamiliar surroundings she has found herself. If she doesn't know any better, she would say that she's in a cellar of some sort.

It's cold, it's murky, and there is this awful stench of what smells like the overlapping mixtures of blood, sweat, and sex.

Leslie then becomes aware of the harsh pounding in her head and she has to blink once again to try and reduce the pain. With each passing second, the dull thud behind her eyes only seems to enhance.

She then tries to move away from where she has been slumped against the wall of the cellar, only to find herself held back by the chains cuffed to her wrist and ankle.

Panic begins to set in and Leslie begins to tug against the metal restraints only for her efforts to turn out to be futile and worthless.

"You're wasting your energy trying to get out of those."

Leslie is startled by the voice coming from her left. Her head snaps to the side, only to be met with a dingy and worn looking young woman. The woman looks to be about in her mid to late twenties, with matted blonde hair, and tired green eyes.

"There's no getting out of these things." The woman says holding up the chains on her own wrists and ankles. "I'm Sharon…"

"Leslie…" the brunette says eying the other woman curiously. "What…what's he gonna do to us?"

Sharon hesitates for a long moment before she settles on drawing her knees to her chest and looking away in a different direction, away from the frightened brunette. It's a question that she would really rather not answer.

"I…I can't talk about what he does…just like the women before me…" she says quietly, knowing that Leslie didn't hear her, but she isn't going to repeat herself.

Leslie swallows hard and once again examines the cuffs on her wrists. "How long was I out?" she mumbles, running her fingers over the metal she now realizes is blood stained.

"I was…I can't really keep track of time anymore…maybe a little more than ten minutes? I'm not entirely sure…" Sharon says watching Leslie intently.

"It's best you don't fight him whenever he comes in…that's what I've learned from being here. I don't know how long I've been missing, but it feels like ages…" she says after a long lengthy silence.

Leslie feels her heart leap into her throat and she tries to follow the unwanted lump. "What...is he going to kill me?"

Sharon opens her mouth to respond, but before she can get a word out, there is a loud thrashing at the top of the stairs that startles both women. A moment later, a muscular built man with a handsome face, slick black hair, and piecing black eyes storms down into the cellar.

He sets his deathly eyes on Sharon and storms over to the blonde, roughly grabbing her by the hair despite her sobs of protest.

"Please, don't! No!" she shrieks as he releases her of her physical restraints only to bring her into a whole new kind of emotional one.

"Shut up." the man grunts irritably, slapping Sharon hard across the face.

Leslie winces when the man shoves Sharon hard against the wall, and the sickening thud of her head echoes through the cellar. She curls herself farther into the corner, trying to deviate any attention from herself.

The man hits Sharon hard across the face once again before he presses himself into her. She sobs as she feels his erection pressing through their clothing barrier and into her most private areas.

She tries to hide the strangled scream that escapes her lips when he gets rid of that barrier and roughly slams into her. Her sobs become more consistent as he continues to forcefully thrust in to her.

All that Sharon can pray is that Leslie isn't watching what's happening to her. She squeezes her eyes shut and tries to think of anything else, other than the man who is violating her in more ways than one.

Once he's satisfied himself with the frightened woman pressed against him, he redoes his pants and drags her over to the table in the corner of the room.

"No, please! I'll do anything!" Sharon begs as he forces her onto the bloodstained wooden table. She watches with fearful yes when he begins searching the box next to the table for something.

Leslie's heart rate speeds up when she hears Sharon's ear piercing screams bounce off of the walls of the cellar. She flinches when she hears the slicing of skin and seconds later, she sees Sharon's hands go limp against the table.

Her heart sinks down to the depths of her stomach when she realizes that this man has just killed Sharon, and that she is probably the next one on his agenda.

* * *

**December 1****st**** 1-6 Precinct Squad room; Manhattan, New York **

"I did not consent to this!" Olivia shouts, startling the entire bullpen.

"You don't have to consent to anything, Detective. I am in charge here, not you. I'm the one who made the call, and you will handle this job professionally." Cragen replies sternly.

Olivia scowls back at her captain, succeeding in lowering the room temperature even further. "But we don't need them here! I could have single handedly handled this case, much less than have you call in the FBI!"

Cragen raises his eyebrows and runs to Alex who has been silently watching the verbal onslaught. "Counselor, what is your input on the situation at hand? By all means, please tell us your thoughts on the matter."

Alex bites the inside of her cheek, glances at Casey briefly and turns back to the captain. "Um…this case has really turned down the wrong road, and it seems that it's only going to get worse. I feel you have a much higher chance of catching this guy if you do correlate with the FBI…"

Olivia's anger flares once again and she stares at Alex in utter disbelief. "Alex, you cannot be serious! We can catch this guy!"

"Liv, you have no leads…" Casey says, speaking up for the first time. "Five women have been abducted, raped, murdered, and dumped in various parts around the city. I really think that the FBI could be of some use."

"Is this how everyone feels about this?!" the brunette shouts addressing the rest of the squad. "Am I the only person here who believes that we can catch this guy with out sending out some sort of distress signals to the FBI?! Come on!"

"Liv, you really do need to calm down…" Elliot says trying to ease Olivia's anger.

"Calm down?! How am I supposed to calm down when we are going to have to work with a bunch of stuck up know it alls who think that they know everything? Forget this." And with that Olivia storms out of the bullpen to god knows where.

"She'll come around." Amanda sighs, contemplating going after her enraged lover, but decides better of the situation.

"Yeah, just give her time to cool of. Liv doesn't like her territory been encroached upon by anyone else, especially the Feds." Fin adds leaning back in his chair.

Alex sighs and shakes her head before turning towards Casey. "Are you ready to go?"

Casey nods her head and leads the way out of the bullpen but not before saying goodbye to the rest of the squad minus the missing Olivia.

"She was really mad in there…." Casey says once she's settled into the front seat of her car. She's expecting a verbal response, and she is completely taken off guard when Alex leans across the consol and kisses her full on the lips.

Just when the two of them had gotten full into their kiss, Casey pulls away, breathing hard from the inflicted lack of oxygen.

"Baby, as much as I enjoyed that. And believe me, I _really_ enjoyed it. We can't sit her and make out in the car right next to the precinct." Casey says once she catches her breath.

"I know, I've just wanted to do that all day." Alex husks, nipping at the redhead's lower lip one last time before she leans back into her own seat.

Casey playfully rolls her eyes and starts the car. "What am I going to do with you?" she ask shaking her head.

"What would you do with out me?" Alex counters back, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Good point…good point." Casey replies as she pulls away from the curb.

Both women in the car are completely oblivious to the black car with tinted windows that also pulls away from the curb. The car stays at a safe two and a half car lengths behind them, following the ADA's to where ever it is they are going.

**District Attorney's Office of Manhattan, NY **

"I feel as big as a whale…" Serena groans, slumping down into the chair across from Alex's desk.

"You look great Rena." Alex responds carefully, knowing just how moody her best friend can be, especially at this time of day. She flinches when Serena scowls at her and mentally sighs in relief when she looks away to glare at something else in the room. "I bet I look like a horse and you're just trying to be nice. You're not fooling me Alexandra." Serena says firmly, her glare returning to the elder blonde.

"I'm being serious, Serena. You look fine. You're pregnant, something tells me that you aren't exactly supposed to feel like a feather." Alex curses to herself as she realizes her errors. _'Oh no, that was a poor choice of words.' _

"So you're saying that I AM fat? God Alex, you really are rude and insensitive sometimes...between you and Abbie, I just don't know how I'm going to make it for another six months…."

Alex nervously chews her lip and continues to fiddle with her pen. She knows absolutely nothing about pregnancy so she doesn't know how long this mood swing stage will last. With Serena, it's been kind of an on and off thing, but she sure she's not the only one that wishes it would disappear completely.

"You and Casey should think about having a baby." Serena states happily twirling a strand of hair around her finger. It has yet to amaze people how her mood can change drastically in a matter of seconds.

Alex shakes her head and absentmindedly doodles on a loose sheet of paper from her note bad. "Casey doesn't believe in children…" she mumbles, remembering the countless upon countless of discussions she's had with her lover about the subject at hand.

"But why? I'm sure the two of you would be excellent parents. You'd have just the cutest little family!"

"Yeah well…like I said, Casey doesn't want to have kids. She doesn't particularly like…children…"

Serena's face contorts into a pout and she folds her arms. "Well that's dumb. I thought everybody liked kids. Maybe you'll be able to talk her into it one day. I thought I'd never get Abbie to agree to wanting to have a baby."

"Yeah me neither…" a southern accented voice mumbles from the doorway. "But once she suggested it I knew I was fighting a losing battle."

Alex chuckles as Abbie's comment has seemed to shift Serena back into that horribly foul mood that she was in earlier.

"Is she being mean?" Abbie asks, looking at Serena, but talking to Alex.

"Isn't she always being mean?" the older blonde responds jokingly.

Serena rolls her eyes and crosses her arms tightly, looking away from her sarcastic best friend and her seemingly incompetent girlfriend. She's had enough of being insulted for one day.

"Hey, look at me." Abbie says quietly, searching for those angry blue eyes she loves so much. "Please try to relax more okay? I don't want you to add stress to yourself…Now, give me a kiss, so I know you're not mad at me."

"No…" Serena responds firmly, turning her face away quickly.

"If you don't give me a kiss, I'm going to stop going out in the middle of the night to find you your special pizza…" Abbie warns. She smile widely when she receives a quick peck on the lips as a response.

Alex can't help but verbally aw at her two closet friends. She's always thought that Abbie and Serena were the cutest couple ever and they balance each other out perfectly. And now they're going to be the cutest family ever; it's all just so adorable.

"Anyway, I came down here to ask you about the Feds that are coming." Abbie says looking up towards Alex. "You ready for that?"

Alex groans and rubs her eyes under her glasses. She can't express enough how much she loathes dealing with federal agents, especially those who think they know everything, but with this killer still on the loose they need all the help they can get.

"Personally, I am probably not looking forward to it, nor are my detectives. You should have seen Olivia at the precinct today. But I'm only the ADA, and neither me, nor Casey can really question Don's requests for outside help…" she states firmly.

"Is that the only thing that's bothering you?" Serena asks, raising her eyebrows. She senses something more, and unlike most people, she can she straight through Alex's tough exterior. She knows that it's far more than the case that's bothering her.

Alex sighs and this time removes her glasses, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Casey's been…kind of distant lately. Yeah, I mean, with this case, and everything we really don't have that much time to see each other, but it's like she's not even making an effort. We talked on our way back from the precinct and all, but it wasn't like it usually is. Even when we kissed, she just kind of felt…reluctant…"

"Well maybe it's just the case? From what I've heard, it really is a tough one…on everybody…" Abbie offers up sincerely.

Alex sighs again and nods her head. "Yeah…I guess. I just wish she'd tell me if something was wrong."

* * *

**Behavioral Analysis Unit; Quantico, Virginia **

"What've we got JJ?" Hotch asks as he enters the conference room, taking his seat at the table with the rest of the team.

JJ clicks her remote and brings up the images of the six victims from the case. "Over literally the past month, six women have been abducted in Manhattan or areas around Manhattan. Each woman was found with similar injuries of severe sexual and physical assault but each death has been different. Our latest victim, Sharon Lancaster, was found two days ago with similar injuries to the other victims, only her cause of death was…well, I'll let you see for yourself."

The team winces collectively minus Garcia who frantically covers her hands with her eyes, trying to shield away the brutal images from her brain.

"Well, that's a little sloppy…" Rossi says, looking away from the screen having seen enough of the gore for the first part of his day.

"It deviates from the rest of the victims that's for sure." Emily grumbles looking back down at the information on her iPad.

JJ hums at continues on with the description of the case. "In addition to Sharon being found two days ago, approximately three and a half days ago, a woman by the name of Leslie Bartlett went missing."

"Have they found a body?" Reid asks looking up, analyzing the one picture on the screen that isn't a corpse.

"No, local police hasn't found anything on her whereabouts. I was actually contacted by the captain of the Special Victims Unit requesting us for this case…" JJ responds, setting the remote down on the table.

"Special Victims? Don't they major in sex crimes?" Morgan asks curiously.

"Sex crimes are always the icky ones…" Garcia mumbles, rubbing her eyes from the images she's just seen.

All eyes turn to Hotch awaiting for him to make the decision on what is to be done next. He hums silently to himself before he stands up, making eye contact with the rest of his team.

"Then it looks like we'll be heading to New York. Garcia, I want you to fly in with us on this one. Wheels up in thirty."

* * *

JJ is in her office, getting her go bag together when she feels a hand slide teasingly across her backside. She jumps in surprise and spins around only to be met with the smug grin of her girlfriend.

"Em, we've talked about this. We can't do stuff like this at work, and I just don't think…" she trails off, not really knowing what it is she was going to say anymore.

Emily's grin falters a bit as she opts for taking JJ's hand instead. "Hey, I know…it's just…we don't get any time together…like at all. I never see you that often out side of work, and at work we have to pretend like we aren't seeing each other. It's just so frustrating."

JJ briefly peek beneath the blinds of her office before she wraps her arms around her lover's neck. She allows Emily to pull her closer and into a passionate kiss that can only last for a short time.

"Maybe when we get back we'll have some time off, and we can just go away together." The dark haired woman suggests.

JJ sighs exasperatedly and allows her head to rest on Emily's shoulder. "Maybe…just maybe…"

**On The Jet **

"Oh ho, ho, here's a laugh for you." Rossi says reading the information he has on the SVU team. "Turns out this squad works really close with their ADA's."

"Lemme see that." Morgan says reaching over and taking the file from the elder agent. "Alexandra Cabot and Casey Novak…hmmm…"

"There's two of em? That's frightening." Emily says looking over from where she's seated across from JJ.

"Yeah, apparently so. You know, I read somewhere in a monologue that lawyers tend to have a higher and much broader vocabulary and literal knowledge than anyone else in the law spectrum. Thus adding to their high end and stuck up attitudes." Reid rambles off ceremoniously.

"I bet that's all just a stereotype. We won't know what they're like until we actually get there. Who knows, maybe they're actually nice people." JJ offers sincerely.

There is complete silence on the plane before the rest of the team erupts into laughter. Even Hotch manages to crack a smile at JJ's seemingly illogical speculations.

JJ rolls her eyes and sits back in her chair. "I'm just saying, they could be. But what we need to worry about is our not-so-welcome wagon that we have waiting for us when we get there."

"I've got to say, Detective Benson is one damn impressive cop. If I had a record like this, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want us coming either." Rossi says glancing over another sheet of paper.

"Well she better not ask for it by giving us a hard time." Derek says crossing his arms.

"Oh save it Derek, I bet she could beat your ass." Emily responds chuckling.

"Actually, I wouldn't put it past her to try." Reid murmurs as he leans across the seat, reading the same sheet of paper Rossi has in his hand.

"As much as I am enjoying talking about the SVU, I believe that we should begin putting together a preliminary profile for our unsub." Hotch says blandly.

"Okay, so you guys want to know something icky about this guy? And or girl?" Garcia says, typing furiously on her laptop. "Something about all six victims, including the missing Leslie Bartlett. They have roughly similar lines of occupations. See look. Sharon Lancaster and Veronica Morris were paralegals, while Janice McCormick and Lindsey Garza were public defenders; Kate Wilson worked for a private owned law firm, Vanessa Springer worked as a homicide defense attorney, and now the missing Leslie Bartlett is an prosecutor for Child Protective Services…"

"So…he targets lawyers?" Reid asks curiously.

"No wonder they called us in. He's picking his way through the bottom." Morgan says cynically.

"Pretty soon he could work his way up to their ADAs..." Rossi murmurs, piecing together scenarios in his mind.

"When we land, JJ, you and Morgan will go and speak with the ADAs , Prentiss will go with Dave to the dumpsite of the latest victim, and I will go to the station with Reid and Garcia to speak with the detectives and possibly the medical examiner." Hotch says authoritatively.

"Poo, I wanted the easy job, like go and meet with the scary lawyers. I've always wanted to see what one looks like in real life." Garcia says jokingly.

"Don't worry about it Baby girl." Morgan says leaning back in his seat again. "I bet they're all bark and zero bite. Like little Chihuahuas!"

Oh if he only knew how oh so very wrong he is.

**Oh my god you guys, could you imagine what Alexandra Cabot would do to Derek Morgan if she hear him compare her to a Chihuahua? OMG. **

**Eeee I was kind of squirming at that little dash of Abbirena fluff I put in there…eeee I'm just so excited about this, can you guys tell? **

**Lol, hope you enjoyed my little preview chapter here. Your reviews will let me know if I should continue with this or not. Leave a review? **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: gonna explore the relationships a bit in this chapter but the whole xover meeting Will be in the next chapter. happy readings! **

**Casey Novak's Apartment; 8:46 p.m.**

Casey frowns when she steps into her apartment and she hears the familiar hum of her television in the background. She also smells the familiar smell of some sort of Italian cuisine accompanied with the scent of a candle.

Her immediate conclusion is that Alex is making dinner, and a smile so small that it can hardly be counted as a smile ghosts across her features. Usually Alex calls when she's going to come over and make dinner; why is this so different now?

A few moments later, Alex steps out of the kitchen drying her hands on a dish towel.

"Hey you, I was wondering when you were going to get home." she says smiling and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist. She places a kiss on Casey's lips but internally deflates when the redhead simply doesn't respond to it.

"Are you alright?" Alex asks worriedly.

Casey shakes her head and steps out of her shoes. "I'm fine. You made dinner?" she responds, not exactly wanting to progress the conversation about her mood anymore.

Alex cocks her head to the side before she reluctantly nods. "Yeah, I did. I made your favorite. Are you sure that nothing's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Alex…I'm fine." Is the choppy response as Casey pushes past the blonde to proceed into the living room where she eventually collapses onto the couch.

Alex makes a face and follows her girlfriend into the living room where she simply stands over the couch with her arms folded. She can't exactly put together what it is she wants to say, but it's something that's along the lines of knowing that Casey isn't just 'alright'. But it's something that she plans to explore even more into the evening.

The couple eats dinner in a moderate silence, with the occasional small talk made here and there but nothing long enough that could actually be classified as a conversation. It's actually something that Alex finds rather uncomfortable and strangely for once, she doesn't know how to approach the subject.

After an intensely uncomfortable and quiet dinner, the two sit next to each other on the couch, Alex sitting on the edge of the cushions thinking intently while Casey sits slumped into the sofa, staring intently into her wine glass as she swirls the liquid repeatedly.

Alex can't take the silence any more and she cuts off the television and stiffly turns towards Casey who hasn't looked away from her glass.

"Casey, please talk to me. We've been sitting in silence for almost an hour. What's going on?" she pleads.

Casey downs the last of the wine and sets the glass on the table. She sighs heavily as she rakes her fingers through her hair and sinks down into the couch cushions even further.

"Nothing is wrong Alex…we've been through this how many times now?"

"Why are you being like this? I'm only trying to help…"

Casey groans and stands p from her spot on the couch. "I think I'm gonna go to bed. You can join me, or leave, or do whatever. I don't really care." She mumbles before disappearing into her bedroom.

Alex sits dumbfounded on the couch for a long moment before she gets up and follows her incompetent girlfriend to the bedroom. "What the hell? Casey seriously, I don't know what else I can do! Whatever I did, I'm sorry, okay? Can you just…talk to me?"

"Alex, I just want to sleep. Can you let me do that?" Casey requests irritably. If there were ever a time that she would want Alex to stop asking questions, it'd be now.

The blonde attorney snaps her mouth shut and wraps her arms around her self out of habit. She would be lying if she said that Casey's dismissive tone wasn't hurtful, and it only adds to her earlier feeling of being rejected. She watches as Casey gets settled in a pair of blue plaid pajama pants and a black tank top before she buries herself under the covers with out another word.

"Are you going to go to bed, or are you just going to stand there and watch me while I'm trying to go to sleep." Casey grumbles, feeling her girlfriend's eyes on her.

Alex sighs before she treks over to her drawer in Casey's bedroom to fish around for a pair of pajamas. Silently changing, she treks her way back across the room and climbs into bed with her quiet lover. She can tell by Casey's breathing that she isn't quiet asleep yet she can tell that nothing is really up for discussion, but that won't keep her from trying.

"So…how was work today?" she asks, trying to sound uppity in her tone.

Casey snorts and shifts further under the covers, not bothering to turn over. "Was fine…" is the short mumble.

Alex chews her bottom lip before her mind starts coming up with other things to say to try and get Casey to be responsive. "That's good. My day was great too in case you were wondering. I had a really nice talk with Serena. You should see her, she's really excited about the baby."

Casey rolls her eyes and shuts them again praying this will be the end of Alex's talking. "Well good for her."

"You know, she says that we'd make really cute parents. Don't you think having a baby would be just wonderful? We could have our own little family." Alex continues, dreamily drifting of into her fantasies of having a family.

"Alex, shut up." the aggravated redhead says firmly, finally sitting up.

Alex blinks confusedly at Casey's hard glare pointed at her, and frankly, it scares her a little. "W-what? I just want us to talk…"

"And I am trying to sleep. I don't care about all of that right now. I've been nice about this ever since this morning but you just keep talking and talking and talking. Leave me alone, and let me go to sleep." and with that, Casey lies back down, with her back once again turned to her confused girlfriend.

Alex can't help but feel the tears that line her eyes, and she silently curses when they make the shameful decent down her cheeks. Sniffling quietly, she wipes at her eyes, once again trying to get comfortable in the not-so-surprisingly cold bed.

"Are you crying…" Casey questions, exasperatedly.

"No…" Alex responds, trying and failing miserably to lie.

Casey sighs heavily before she gets out of bed and heads towards the door. "I'm sleeping in the other room. Good night." She grumbles, not bothering to look at the confused blonde as she disappears to the guestroom.

Alex sits in the bed and draws her knees up to her chest, trying to drown out even more tears that are threatening to fall. Maybe she was being a bit too persistent, but never once has she ever thought that Casey would speak to her like that. Something's wrong, and she just can't seem to figure out what it is.

**The Plaza Hotel, Manhattan NY 10:15 p.m.**

"Jet lag is an ass kicking…" Emily grumbles, flopping onto the bed next to her girlfriend.

JJ closes her laptop and shoves it under the bed before she straddles the older woman's thighs and leans in closely. "You sound tired."

"We're all tired Jayje. Because of that stupid emergency landing, and everything was pushed back, I'm pretty sure everyone one is tired." Emily explains simply.

JJ shakes her head before she moves down and rests it against the brunette's forehead. "I meant, more than usual. Lately you just sound…worn out. Are you okay?"

Emily closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, reveling in the feel of her lover's body pressed against her own. "I am tired, but it's not anything from work. Are we okay Jennifer?"

The blonde agent blinks and she sits up, eyebrows quirked in confusion. "What do you mean? I think we're fine…I thought we were fine…are we not?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you." Emily explains, sitting up for a better conversation. "With work and everything, we don't see that much of each other, and somehow a quickie in your office doesn't exactly turn me on as it probably should."

JJ faintly blushes, and she sighs heavily, casting her eyes to anything else in the room other than the dark chocolate eyes staring at her intently. "I see what you're saying. I really wish things were easier on us. I hate having to lie to the rest of the team like this."

"Hey, Garcia knows, and it's not lying, it's just not telling the truth." Emily offers up grinning.

"Garcia only knows because she is a total snoop when it comes to the security footage. And still, I hate sneaking around like this. I wish we could just openly be together, it's not like it would compromise our jobs or anything. I mean, I'm already super protective of what's mine." JJ purrs just before she places a soft kiss to the older woman's lips.

"Being a bit possessive aren't we, Agent Jareau?" Emily teases back, toying with the hem of the blonde's shirt as she pulled into another kiss that is intended to be brief. JJ groans and reluctantly pulls away when she feels hands slide under her shirt and begin exploring.

"Em no…we can't…" she mumbles sadly, knowing just what Emily wants, but they've both made a vow with each other never to have sex during a case.

It was a vow that Emily would definitely go back on if she could, but ever one to keep her word, she simply settles for slumping against the pillows and groaning in frustration.

"Just this one time…please?" she pleads, hoping that her pleading look will break through JJ's already made up mind.

The younger woman shakes her head, and gives Emily a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. "No. We are not going to have sex knowing that Garcia is literally right next door, and Hotch and Rossi are on the other side. It's not happening."

Emily frowns and sighs heavily, removing her hands from the warm comfort under JJ's shirt. So much for getting any after an unnecessarily long day. "Fine…I give in…you win…"

"I do love you though, please understand that." JJ states seriously, as she rests her head in the nape of her lover's neck.

Emily places a kiss to the side of the blonde's head and hums contently. "Yeah I know, and I love you too." She whispers back, slowly drifting off to sleep.

**Amanda Rollins' Apartment; 11:00 p.m. **

"Liv, you know that is not what I'm saying at all." Amanda groans, roughly dragging her fingers through her hair as she and the elder detective continue to yell back and forth. Had the apartment not been sound proofed, Amanda is positive that they would have awakened a few of her neighbors by now. "Not once have I ever, or will I ever doubt you over anything."

Olivia snorts, and fixes Amanda with a rather accusing glare. "Oh really? Because you did a fine ass job of showing that at work today. Yeah, thanks for being there, and being supportive of my decision like you should have been." She sneers sarcastically.

Amanda's face contorts into a scowl and she exasperatedly throws her arms in the air out of frustration. "What was I supposed to do? Side with you against the captain's orders, simply because we're dating? That's hardly even fair and you know it. You know what this is? You just hate admitting when you're wrong, and that you need help."

"Oh, so now you're telling me that I'm wrong?"

"Because you are! You can't be super cop all the time like you want to be, and you can't argue with the extra help when we obviously need it. Hell Olivia, the ADAs even agreed that we need help. Why are you literally the only person that has a problem with this?!"

"Because Cragen is basically fucking telling me that I don't know how to do my job! You, Cragen, and everyone else are just being too stupid and thickheaded to see that we can catch this guy! What the fuck is your problem?!" Olivia shouts back, her anger flaring enough to make the younger detective retreat back a step or so.

Amanda sighs and drags her hand through her hair, lowering her voice to try and bring calmness to the situation. "Can you please just listen to me? Just calm down for five fucking seconds and just listen. This is not about me thinking that you can't do your job, and I'm pretty sure that's the last thing that anyone else thinks. This guy is still out there probably targeting more and more women everyday. Getting the smallest amount of extra help would do all of us some good. Not getting help would just add to the body count and you know it Olivia."

The brunette scowls and clenches her hands into tight fists. Part of her knows that Amanda is right, but the ambitious workaholic side of her knows that she is more than capable of doing her job with out some FBI know it alls coming in to tell her how to do things.

"I'm going home." she mumbles darkly, moving across the living room to pick up her jacket of off the couch.

Amanda raises her eyebrows and stands in front of her enraged lover. "Stay…please?" she asks quietly, not really in the mood to fight anymore. If Olivia wants to be right, she's just going to let her and not say anything about it. "Just stay here, and we can talk this out, and everything will be fine."

Olivia grunts irritably, but her anger slowly beings to melt away when she feels a soft hand taking her own. She sighs as she allows the blonde to lead her to the bedroom, knowing that this most definitely isn't the end of their discussion.

**Carmichael-Southerlyn Apartment; Midnight**

"Abbie wake up." Serena says sharply nudging the snoozing brunette on her left.

Abbie mumbles something incoherent before she turns over, and starts to drift off back to sleep. She is about half way there when she feels a hard nudge in her side that causes her to sit straight up in the bed.

"Oh my god, what?" she hisses, not enjoying being woken up in the wee hours off the morning after an unnecessarily long day at work.

"I'm hungry…" Serena mumbles innocently as she gives her girlfriend her best pout as she rubs her stomach.

Abbie groans as she rubs the sleep away from her eyes. "You're always hungry…." She mumbles before she goes to praying that whatever it is that Serena wants to eat is already in the house and she isn't going to have to go out and search for it. "What do you want?"

"I think I want some butter pecan ice cream." The blonde says with no hesitation.

Abbie groans again as she realizes her prays were not answered and that there is no butter pecan ice cream anywhere in the house. They have chocolate ice cream but she knows from one past experience that if you don't have what the pregnant woman wants, you better get your ass up and go find it.

"Are you sure? Because last time I was on my way back with what you wanted and you changed your mind…" the brunette questions seriously.

Serena grins and nods vigorously before she leans forward and gives Abbie a peck on the lips. "Yep! At least, I think I'm sure. If I think of anything else you know I'll call you. Now go, your child wants ice cream."

Abbie groans as she forces herself out of bed to find some clothes. "Something tells me it isn't my child that wants ice cream. But because it's you, and I love you, I'll go."

**Unknown**

"They've called in for help boss. FBI or CIA or something." The days recalls remembering the conversation he listened in on.

The man with sandy brown hair snorts humorously at the news. "It's about time. Tell me, what do you know about these in coming new friends of ours?"

"Not much boss but I can tell the boys and we can find out whatever you need."

"That's great. Find out anything and everything you can. How is our guest?"

"Oh she's great boss. She's real great." another man says smirking as he enters the room. Hey, do you need anything else boss?"

The brown haired man thinks for a moment before a sadistic grin spreads across his face. "Bring me a blonde...you know how much I reaaaally like blondes."

**Damn...things are tough here. And who are these creeps?! Leave a review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: 'nother chapter today, because you guys asked so nicely. :) this one is a doozey. Wasn't originally gonna do this, but after reading a review I thought, what the hell. Happy readings! **

**1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY; 9:45 a.m.**

"Yeah, thanks for not waking me up this morning. I really do enjoy being late." Alex hisses sarcastically as she follows Casey into the elevators.

Casey rolls her eyes and leans against the far wall of the small metal box. "It's not my job to wake you up in the morning, but if it will make you feel better, I am sorry."

Alex growls deeply in her throat before she slams her finger on the emergency stop button. The elevator comes to a screeching halt and for once she's glad that she has Casey completely cornered with no chance of escape. "I'm sick of you acting like this. Can you grow up for about five minutes and tell me what the hell your problem is?"

The redhead huffs and folds her arms tightly, averting her gaze to anything else in the lift other than Alex's icy eyes, hat are ironically burning holes in her. The last place that she would want to have this kind of discussion would be in a claustrophobia inducing elevator, but at the same time, she isn't sure that she wants to have this discussion at all.

"I don't want to talk about this right now." Casey mutters indignantly, moving to press the emergency button again, but Alex swiftly steps in front of her, succeeding in blocking her path.

"From what went on last night, you don't want to talk about this at all. You're shoving me away, and you won't tell me. Stop acting like a child and just tell me what's wrong with you." Alex states firmly.

Casey sighs and leans against the wall of the elevator once more. "I'm tired Alex. There, that's it. There's nothing else that needs to be discussed. Can we please just go and get this over with"

Alex purses her lips tightly into a thin like before she presses the emergency button again and the lift begins moving once more. She retreats to her own corner of the small metal box and watches as the other attorney waits anxiously for the doors to open.

Casey waits impatiently as the elevator slows to a stop and as soon as the lift pings, she shoots out of the doors before they're even opened the way. Her heels click rapidly against the floor as she keeps about a ten pace stride ahead of Alex. Just as she's about to round the corner to enter the squad room, she catches sight of a face she hasn't seen in forever as well as several others she's never seen before in her life.

"This is going to make me regret making a house call today." Alex mutters as she stands next to the redhead who is obviously contemplating whether or not she's going to go into the squad room.

"Agreed." Casey says tersely nodding her head before she turns to Alex with an uncomfortable look. "You know…maybe we should leave, that way they won't know we exist."

Alex raises her eyebrows curiously, taking note how Casey's mood as completely changed in a matter of seconds. "Yeah, leave…that's a good one. Let's just go get it over with. The sooner we do it, the sooner we can leave."

Casey opens her mouth to respond but snaps it shut as she sees Alex walk into the squad room. She releases a drawn out groan before she reluctantly slumps her way into the squad room, trying her best to direct all of the attention to Alex. After all, the head ADA does all the talking right?

"Damn, take a look at that." Morgan mutters, noticing the tall blonde that has entered the room.

"Whoa…is it…hotter in here to you?" Reid asks swallowing thickly. Both men flinch when they feel a hand connect with the back of their heads and they are both met with a glaring Garcia.

"Can you two not be pigs for five minutes?" The tech analyst hisses as Hotch goes through the introductions between them and the ADA.

"It's nice to meet all of you." Alex says with a well placed smile on her face. "The woman that walked in here with me who is no hiding over there is my second chair. If there is anything that I can do for any of you please let me know."

"Oh I'm sure there is a lot I would let her do for me." Morgan whispers, earning a light snort from Rossi.

Alex frowns and turns towards the snickering men, having heard Derek loud and clear. "Excuse me?"

The agent blanches and awkwardly rubs the back of his neck. "Um…I was wondering if we could speak with the medical examiner…"

"Right, I'm sure one of the detectives would be more than happy to accompany you." The attorney retorts still eying the man curiously before she walks away.

"You better watch yourself man." Fin says approaching Derek. "That woman can hear an ant piss on cotton in the next room."

Derek nervously puts his hands in his pockets as he and Emily follow the detective down to the medical examiner's office.

"You mean you know her?" Olivia asks smirking at her friend's discomfort. It isn't every day that you get to pick on a friend for an old flame you know.

Casey nods briskly and nervously runs a hand through her hair. "Yeah, it's a long story." She says, frowning when Olivia gives her a look that beckons for her to continue on. "A really long story that isn't going to be told…"

"Well then maybe she'll tell it, because she's coming this way."

"What?! Oh my god Live, I can't stay here, not with Alex here, I have to…"

"Casey?"

Casey groans silently and ignores Olivia's smirking face as she spins around to face the confused blonde behind her. "Hi Jennifer..."

"Wow, you're…here." JJ says through her shock. "I mean, I read to report and everything but I guess I didn't process that it was really you. Wow, it's been a while."

Casey chuckles nervously and begins rubbing the back of her neck out of habit. "Yeah, yeah it has. Look at you, FBI and all badass and everything. How've you been, you look great."

"Thanks, you look great too. I've been fine, you know, with work and all." JJ's eyes wander briefly and she falters a bit before her eyes meet Casey's again. "Um...are you seeing anyone?"

Casey frowns at JJ's behaviors but nods her head nonetheless. "Y-yeah…I am…why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure that she's glaring at me right now." JJ says uncomfortably, using her profiling skills to take note of the cold hard glare she's receiving from the blonde across the squad room.

Casey groans and runs her fingers through her hair. "Oh…yeah…that's Alex, she's…moody sometimes." She mutters, kicking Olivia under the desk when the detective begins bouncing with silent laughter.

"Right…" JJ mutters, becoming only the slightest bit of intimidated by the glaring attorney. "Well, it's actually good to see you again Casey. Maybe we can get together and talk after all of this."

"That'd be great, yeah." Casey responds with a smile that quickly fades as soon as JJ walks off. She shoots a glare to Olivia who has her hand clasped over her own mouth to keep from laughing. Giving the detective a smack on the head, she moves across the room to Alex who looks as if she's randomly trying to busy herself with anything else. "Alex what was that?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question? How do you know Agent Jareau?" Alex asks coldly.

Casey shrugs and shoes her hands into her pockets. "She's just an old friend. That's all."

"Really, because judging by how she was looking at you, it looks like the two of you used to be more than friends."

"Does it matter Alex? You're being jealous and a little unprofessional about this. Just a friend, okay? And you know she's a profiler so she can probably read your mind or whatever."

Alex rolls her eyes and crosses her arms tightly across her chest. "I just don't like the way she was looking at you, that's all. Can you blame me?"

A small smile ghosts across Casey's lips and she dips her head a little. "No, I guess not. Are you gonna come over later? Maybe we should have that talk."

"Yeah, I think I would like that."

* * *

**Unknown **

"Jim you idiot, that ones pregnant!" one of the men exclaims, smacking his partner sharply on the head.

The once called Jim rubs the new found sore spot on his head and scowls deeply. "Hey, he just said a blonde! No need to get picky here, Tony!"

Tony smacks Jim again and shakes his head. "I ain't takin' in no pregnant lady."

"What, you got a soft spot for babies Tony?"

"What are we gonna do if she suddenly goes into labor then huh? You know how to deliver a kid? Plus I can't kill no kid, it just ain't right."

Jim rolls his eyes and is about to say something when his cell phone rings. He hands the binoculars to Tony and answers the device. "Whatcha got Vince?"

"Hey I got a blonde, but she ain't no lawyer." Another male voice filters in from the speaker of the phone.

Tony snorts and puts down the binoculars as he starts the car. "It don't matter, where is he at?"

"Where you at man?" Jim asks into the phone as he and Tony pull away from the DA's office.

"Uh, we at the coffee shop on the corner of 3rd and Cromwell." Vince responds, muttering something to someone else on his end of the line.

"Sit tight, we'll be there in ten minutes."

**3****rd**** and Cromwell Street **

"You dumbasses that's a cop!" Jim hisses as he and the three other men watch the blonde inside the coffee shop.

Vince throws up his hands in defense and shakes his head. "Hey don't blame it on me. Tommy here is the one that spotted her. How was we supposed to know she's a damn cop. She ain't dressed like no cop!"

"She has a fucking gun, you idiot!" Tony states flatly and angrily.

"Well still, she ain't dressed like no cop." Tommy says shrugging, earning him a smack on the head from one of the guys.

"I mean, we can't go back empty handed. The boss would have our asses mounted on his wall if we do." Jim groans, rubbing his hair as he contemplates their next plan.

"Yeah, and there's four of us and only one of her right?" Vince exclaims, trying to cover up his mistake.

"And she does look rather small." Frankie adds in, watching the blonde order her coffee.

Everyone looks to Tony who has fallen completely silent. He looks at his colleagues and clicks his tongue. "Alright, we need a plan, and I've got one. My guess is we've got camera's here, and there, so make sure you keep your backs to it. We gotta move fast, and we gotta be strategic. After all, it ain't always to kidnap no damn cop right?" he concludes with a glare at Vince before he and the men get out of the vehicles.

The four men wait hidden until they see the detective exiting the coffee shop with two cups in her hand. Tony nods his head before he runs a hand through his hair and steps out into the open.

"Good morning ma'am. I was wondering if you had a cell phone that I could borrow." He says smiling, as he approaches the blonde. "You see, my car broke down, and I really need to call a mechanic."

Amanda eyes the man curiously, visually and mentally analyzing him to see if he's any kind of threat. "Yeah sure…" she says returning his smile as she unclips her cell phone from her belt and hands it to the man.

"Thank you so much." Tony says smiling before he puts the phone to his ear, pretending to make a phone call. He watches the detective intently, and he slowly begins to back away towards the opening between the coffee shop and the building next to it, all the while still on the phone with the 'mechanic'.

Amanda looks up, only to find the man that borrowed her cell phone has completely disappeared. "You've got to be kidding me…" she mutters irritably, as she places her coffees on the hood of her car. Placing her hand on her gun, she slowly moves around towards the small ally way to see if she can see the man with her phone.

She takes about two steps in when she feels a force grab her and throw her roughly against the brick wall. The impact of her skull on the brick immediately dazes her vision, and she crumbles to the ground in a disoriented heap.

"Really…?" Tony deadpans, dropping the phone and crushing it with his foot.

Vince shrugs his shoulders as he bends over to throw the half conscious blonde over his shoulder. "I didn't know what else to do! You can't just tell me to come up with somethin'. Hey, at least this way, she won't scream or nothin."

Tony rolls his eyes and briefly checks their surroundings before he motions for Vince to follow him to the end of the ally way where the SUVs are parked.

"Man, the boss better not be mad about us bringin' in a cop." Frankie grumbles as he starts the vehicle.

"Are you kidding? There should be like a bonus for this one too." Jim says excitedly as they watch Tony and Vince discretely shove Amanda into the back seat of the first SUV. "Now shut up and drive. They've got her in there."

"Oh man, we're really gonna get us if the Feds catch us with a cop."

"That's why they aren't gonna catch us with a cop…at least…not a live one."

**O.O oh no! Seriously, who are these creeps?! Leave a review? **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This chapter was a little hard to write at one point and it turned out to be much longer than I thought it would be. Nevertheless, here it is. Happy readings. **

**1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY**

"Liv, are you alright?" Alex asks curiously as the detective grumbles and sharply hangs up her desk phone once more.

Olivia huffs irritably as she pulls out her cell phone and presses the device to her ear. "Amanda isn't answering her phone." she informs the attorney, swearing under her breath when the phone once again is sent directly to voicemail. "Hey El, can you try Amanda's phone and see if she picks up."

Elliot nods his head and picks up his own phone, only to shake his head a few seconds later. He tries once more and is met with the same result before he puts the phone back on its cradle. "Nothing. It didn't even ring; just went straight to voicemail."

"This doesn't make any sense. Why is her phone off." The brunette mutters, dragging her fingers through her hair. "I know she went to get coffee, but don't you think that she would've been back by now?"

"If you'll excuse me detective, but I think I could find her." Garcia speaks up, appearing behind Alex having heard the conversation and series of phone slamming going on. "Well I mean, as long as you have her phone number, but I'm sure that you do."

Olivia casts Alex a weary glance before she gets out of her chair and follows the bubbly tech analyst back to the table where she has set up what looks like her mobile command station. The detective would be lying if she said that she isn't at all impressed by the speed that the woman's fingers fly across the keyboard.

Garcia focuses intently as she types in Amanda's phone number into her system. A pop up box appears on the screen making her screw up her face in confusion. "Huh, that's weird…" she mutters before she repeats the same process once again, only to come up with the same results.

"What?" Olivia asks curiously, peering over the tech analyst's shoulder to see if she's found anything.

"Usually cell phones can be traced via their sim card, as long as the sim card is in the phone, but it's telling me that it's an invalid mobile device, if that makes any sense. Long story short, her sim card isn't anywhere near the phone, so I can't pin point her location." Garcia pauses for a moment before a light bulb clicks in her head and she goes back to typing frantically on her keyboard. "Oh! But what I can do is see the very last cell tower that her phone bounced off of before it was disconnected! That way, I might be able to tell you where she is."

Olivia blinks in amazement and it makes her wonder why they don't have someone like Garcia around. It would make their jobs a whole lot easier. "You can do all that just by having a phone number?"

"Sweetie, I could find out what you had for breakfast just by having your phone number." Garcia says cheekily as she continues her typing. "There, it says the last cell tower her phone pinged off of was a tower near 3rd and Cromwell street before the signal crashed. Now what's over there, a Laundromat, a bank, a coffee shop, a…"

"That's where she went this morning. She was getting coffee." Olivia says, recalling exactly where Amanda said she was going. "She should have been back by now…I'm going over there, thank you Penelope."

"Any time, Detective." Garcia responds as the brunette walks back to her desk, exchanges a few words with Elliot, and disappears out of the squad room. Moments later, JJ comes down and sits next to her and Penelope seizes the opportunity to fix her best friend with a knowing smirk. "So…who's your friend over there?"

JJ raises her eyebrows at the suggestion in Garcia's voice and she follows the flamboyant blonde's line of vision towards Casey. "We could have just met Garcia, how do you assume that we are friends already?" she counters back, trying to deviate her friend from the truth.

Penelope snorts and shakes her head in disbelief. "Right and I'm having tea with the queen on Tuesday. She called you 'Jennifer' and nothing happened. Last guy who did that you damn near shot his nuts off. I may be nearly blind in both eyes, but I'm not stupid. So spill Missy."

JJ rolls her eyes and simply shrugs her shoulders. "She's just a friend I haven't seen in a while, that's all."

"So old friends look at you like _that_?"

"She wasn't looking at me like anything, Pen, jeez. Plus, we're both seeing other people now any way so it doesn't matter." JJ immediately curses herself for saying far too much, and she knows Penelope is going to take it and run with it.

Garcia smiles greatly and bounces a little in her seat. "Aha! I knew it! Ohhh that also explains the scary looking blonde over there who keeps sending you death looks."

JJ flinches when she looks up and sees Alex glaring at her again. "I don't know what her problem is. It's not like I'm trying to encroach on her territory or whatever, all I did was say hi."

"Say the word, and her credit score will be trashed." Garcia says happily, earning her a light smack from the agent.

"Whose credit score will be trashed and why?" Emily asks curiously approaching the table.

Garcia opens her mouth, prepared with a response, but JJ quickly cuts her off. "No ones and no reason. Pen is just being…yeah. So, anyway, Reid and Morgan went to speak with the Bartletts?"

Emily nods her head in confirmation. "Yep, and I think Hotch said something about him and Dave going to speak with the Lancasters. Hotch did say for Garcia to start looking for any possible links between the victims though, other than their jobs."

Garcia gives a fake salute and gets comfortable back at her main laptop. "Ay, ay captain."

"Jayje, can we talk for a minute?" Emily asks, giving JJ a pleading look at which the blonde is unable to reject as she stands up from her chair. "We'll be back in a minute Garcia."

"Yeah, okay, you do that." Garcia mumbles as she watches the two agents disappear out of the squad room. she glances around her briefly before her nosiness gets the better of her and she enters Casey's name into the search bar on her computer. "Let's see who you are…"

* * *

JJ follows Emily to the bathroom where the brunette locks the door and immediately pins her to the wall, kissing her hungrily.

"Em, what…what are you doing? Oh god…" the blonde moans as her lover begins tracing small bites down the column of her throat.  
"I'm dying Jennifer, I need to touch you." the older woman replies huskily, her need evident in her voice.

JJ groans again when she feels a hand snake under her shirt and gives her breast a warm squeeze. Just then, a brief flashback hits her and she startles away, leaving a confused Emily in her wake.

"Jayje is everything alright?" Emily asks, her voice full of concerned as she sees the look on her girlfriend's face.

JJ quickly nods her head and awkwardly runs a shaky hand through her hair. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just, caught me off guard there for a sec. Maybe we shouldn't do this here."

Emily groans and wraps her arms around the blonde's waist possessively. "But I need you, noooow." She whines, her tone betraying her usual professional exterior.

"How about tonight? When we get back to the hotel? How does that sound?"

"That sounds amazing." Emily purrs before she gives JJ a peck on the lips. "God, I love you."

"I love you too." JJ responds, slumping against the wall when Emily exits the rest room. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before she rests her head against the wall. Somehow she feels like this trip to New York has gotten ten times harder, and she's not just talking about the case.

* * *

"Counselor, if you glare at her any harder I think she's going to disintegrate." Munch says, taking note of the glares Alex was shooting at JJ as the agent walked past them.

The usually composed attorney turns her glare on him and mutters something darkly incoherent before she storms off to where Casey is sitting on Olivia's desk, talking to Elliot.

"Casey, maybe we should leave." Alex says firmly, her tone letting the redhead know it's more of a command rather than a request or suggestion.

Casey blinks in confusion for a moment before it dawns on her that Alex is jealous, REALLY jealous. "Why? There really isn't anything at the office that we can't do from here."

"I just feel like there is no longer a need to stay here. Especially if you're going to be _distracted_ by certain things." Alex replies darkly.

"I am far from distracted. I think the only problem is that you are jealous of certain things."

"I do not get jealous. There wouldn't be a problem if you weren't looking at certain things like you want to-"

"Ladies, is there a problem?" Elliot interjects cautiously, not really sure if he's stepping into dangerous territory.

Casey grits her teeth in anger but doesn't break her stare off with Alex. "No, there's no problem. You're right, we should be leaving." She states flatly before hopping off of Olivia's desk and storming out of the squad room with Alex not to far behind.

Elliot stares after the angered ADAs and decides that it's best not to ask any questions. He leans back in his chair to continue reading through a file, when the ringing of his phone startles him.

"SVU, Detective Stabler speaking." He says into the phone, frowning when he hears Olivia rattling on at about ninety miles an hour on the other end of the line. "Liv, calm down okay...okay, I understand that I'll…yes I know…I know that too…okay, I'll tell Munch, and we'll be right down there…just sit tight okay?"

Munch raises his eyebrows in question when Elliot swears and quickly hands up the phone. "What was that about?"

"Rollins went missing."

**Unknown **

Amanda opens her eyes and finds her self to be in a very unfamiliar place, with a smell that is so rancid that it makes her screw up her face in disgust. Her head feels like it's been bashed in with a 2x4 and the dull thud behind her eyes lets her know she's been out for a while.

The last thing that the detective remembers is being grabbed by some asshole who claimed to have needed to borrow a cell phone when she was at the coffee shop. On instinct, Amanda's hand moves down towards her holster only to hip, only to find her gun absent from it's holster.

Glancing around the darkened room, she finds herself completely alone, except for the small blinking red light in the farthest ceiling corner of the room. She immediately deduces that it's a camera of some sorts, and that who ever has taken her, is watching her every move.

"So let me get this straight, the five of you kidnapped a cop, and were able to bring her here with out any struggles, injuries, or alerting anyone?"

"That's right boss. It was all Tony's plan that did it too. You said you wanted a blonde so, we hope you like this one. I bet she'll be a lot of fun." Frankie says excitedly.

"Ay Rob, I think she's wakin' up." Tony says pointing to the monitor. "You should go check her out."

Robert or 'the boss' as the others refer to him, runs a hand through his sandy brown hair and stands up from his chair. He pushes past the two other men and descends the three flights of stairs down to the cellar. With out hesitation, he pushes the door open, slips inside, and locks it behind him, hindering any kind of escape route.

"And how are we feeling Detective Rollins?" he asks sinisterly, having taken the detective's credentials and read through them.

Amanda yes the tall, muscular man curiously and scoots across the floor putting distance between herself and the man. "Well, you know, like my head was throw in to a brick wall, but I think that your whores took care of that just fine." She retorts confidently, determined not to let the man intimidate her.

Robert snorts at the blonde's attitude and continues to slowly advance upon her. "Do all detectives have a smart mouth like you do? But let me tell you, I find that to be one of my biggest turn ons."

"Then you need to reevaluate your life." Amanda snaps quickly, praying that her fear isn't slipping through her sarcastic façade.

Robert scowls deeply, and grabs the detective by her hair, pulling her to her feet. He wraps his hand tightly round her throat and slams her against the wall, succeeding in drawing a small whimper from her lips.

"You will not speak to me like that, do you understand me? Maybe the smartest thing for you to do is to just keep your mouth shut."

Amanda scowls and tries to fight him off, but the man proves to be fairly stronger than she is which in turn ends in him punching her hard across the face.

"It looks like I'm going to have to remind you early on who is in charge here. I'll make you scream."

The blonde's eyes widen as she comes to term with what exactly Robert is about to do to her. She tries to fight him off again, only for her efforts to be completely futile and he ends up pressing her face first against the wall.

The next half hour is a complete blur to Amanda yet the initial pain when he first started still seems to linger. She tries desperately to focus her mind on other things while he pleasures himself; the cracks on the wall, her job, Olivia, god Olivia. She prays that her girlfriend has realized she's missing by now, but how would Liv possibly find her? Hell, _she_ doesn't even know where she is, let alone have anyone else look for her.

The man reaches his climax one last time before he pulls away from the fragile woman beneath him. "You're a real good fuck you know that." he pants smirking, as he tries to catch his breath. "Maybe now you'll show me a little more respect."

Amanda slumps down to the floor and retreats to a corner of the room where she empties the contents of her stomach. Never once in her life has she felt so violated, disgusting, and abused all in one sitting. She vomits for a full five minutes before she slumps against the wall, praying that her colleagues will find her quickly.

**District Attorney's Office of Manhattan, NY **

Alex storms out of the elevators so fast that she literally knocks Abbie to the ground in a midst of flying papers and swear words. She grumbles to herself as she proceeds to her office with out apologizing to the angry brunette.

"Jesus Christ Alex! Shit!" Abbie curses angrily as she moves to restack her now unorganized papers that were accidentally yet rudely knocked out of her hands. "The fuck is her problem?"

Casey sighs heavily as she helps her best friend off the floor and hands her the extra files she didn't pick up. "I'm sorry for…her. We met the FBI today, and one of the agents is my ex girlfriend, and Alex is upset because she's jealous but won't admit it."

Abbie scowls and rubs her sore arm from where she had an impromptu meeting with the floor thanks to Alex. "Seriously, that's what she's pissy about? Wait, you have an ex who works for the FBI?"

"I'm not in the mood to talk about it right now. I'm really sorry about that…again…" Casey mutters before she proceeds towards Alex's office. She huffs in irritation when she finds the door closed, and it's locked. "Alex, c'mon, open the door."

"Go away, Casey." The blonde shouts irritably from the other side of the door.

Casey rolls her eyes and fishes in her pocket for something. Moments later, she pulls out a key and inserts it into the door, mentally praising when she feels the lock give way.

Alex looks up from her desk and scowls when she remembers that Casey has a key. "Get out."

"You really do need to apologize to Abbie, she's pretty pissed at you now." the redhead says calmly stepping into the office.

Alex rolls her eyes and pretends to busy herself with something on her desk, hoping that Casey will take the hint to leave.

"Why are you jealous?"

"I'm not jealous. I just don't like the way that she was looking at you, or the way that you were looking at her."

Casey exasperatedly throws her arms in the air and pinches the bridge of her nose. "She wasn't looking at me, and I wasn't looking at her!" _'At least I don't think I was.'_ "We just barely even talked Alex, that's all. Why would I even care about her when I'm dating you?"

Alex sighs and removes her glasses before she rests her head in her hands. "Because you've been shoving me away, and then she shows up which gives you all the more reason to leave me." she admits quietly, her voice laced with hurt.

Casey's eyes widen in alarm and she moves to take Alex's hands in her own. "I'm not going to leave you, especially not for her. What Jennifer and I had was a long time ago. Look, I don't mean to be pushing you away, it's just this case has made me think a whole lot and it scares me that I could lose you. I know that might not make any sense with how I've been acting but that's just how I cope with things. But what I need you to do is trust me, and realize that you don't have anything that you need to be jealous over because I'm not going anywhere."

The blonde casts her eyes downward before she slowly stands up from her chair and takes Casey's lips into a soft kiss. A kiss that surprisingly, Casey is happy to return. The two pull away from each other briefly, only to dive back in for more.

"Baby I'm sorry." Alex whispers huskily, as her lover begins tracing hungry kisses up and down the column of her neck. She is soon startled out of her passion induced state when the ringing of her desk phone startles her.

"A-Alex Cabot." She says with as much confidence as possible even though Casey is still paying extraordinary attention to her neck. she listens intently on to the other end of the line before her eyes go wide in shock and fear. "Oh…oh my god. Please keep me posted then."

"Mm, who was that?" Casey mumbles moving to kiss Alex's lips again, frowning when the blonde gives her a soft push on her shoulder.

"Casey, Amanda went missing, and they think she was kidnapped."

**Ooooo talk about awkward…leave a review? **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Getting this out there kinda late, but hey, stuff happens. Anyway, I can feel this story keeping some of you on edge. It's amusing me. Here's the next chapter, mwahaha. **

**1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY; 11:45 p.m. **

"Liv, go home." Cragen says softly as he shrugs on his coat. He takes note of how the squad room is completely empty, minus the detective who sits at her desk hunched over reading through a file she's probably read a hundred times since the afternoon. He sighs as she doesn't acknowledge him so he ops for cautiously approaching her desk. "Liv, it's almost midnight…"

Olivia doesn't bother too look up at the captain and she simply continues to stare at the paper that looks like it became Chinese hours ago. She's willed herself not to cry for the past five hours, and she'll be damned if she's going to do it now in front of Cragen.

Don sighs again and shoves his hands in his coat pockets. "Liv…we're all worried, and I know none of us are feeling exactly what you're going through right now but…you need to get some rest. Staying up until your eyes fall out isn't going to help any when you're exhausted tomorrow. You need your rest so you can find her."

"We had a fight last night." Olivia murmurs quietly, after a long pregnant silence. "We fought last night because I was being stupid about this case, and we went to bed with out speaking to each other. I left before she woke up this morning, and we didn't speak after that. Now I may never see her again."

"Hey, don't think like that." Cragen replies shaking his head. "We're going to find her, and the son of a bitch that took her."

"And if we don't? What then? Wait for her body to show up? I couldn't live with myself if he kills her, and I don't see how you thinking me going home to sleep would be doing her any good. She needs me."

"Amanda's a tough cop Liv, so I promise you she's giving who ever took her hell and then some. You just need to go home and rest."

Olivia closes her eyes and runs her hands through her hair, shaking her head. "I'll just sleep in the crib tonight."

Don nods his head, knowing that arguing with Olivia continuously would be completely wasteful and futile. He knows once her mind is made up, it isn't going to be changed. "Alright, I suppose you could do that. Take care of yourself Olivia, and I promise, we'll find her. Good night."

"Goodnight cap." Olivia mutters in response, watching Cragen disappear from the squad room and make his way to the elevators. Sighing heavily, she stands up from her desk, and heads upstairs to crash in the crib because she just can't bring herself to go home, not when Amanda is missing.

Olivia has to resist the urge to drive her fist into a wall, and she simply collapses onto one of the hard beds, throwing her arm over her eyes. She swears she will kill the son of a bitch that does anything to Amanda.

**Abbie Carmichael's Apartment; 11:30 p.m. **

"Shouldn't you be at your place getting cozy with Alex?" Abbie asks her best friend curiously.

Casey shakes her head and slumps down into the sofa cushions. "Nah, she said she wanted to sleep in her own bed tonight, and that she didn't wanna sleep with me, so she stayed home."

"Oh, so did the two of you have that talk? You know, about the ex that you have in the FBI that you never told me about?"

Casey rolls her eyes and huffs greatly. "I didn't think I needed to. Didn't think I'd ever see her again, but I guess I was wrong." She says shrugging it off. The silence and the look that she receives in response causes her to sigh once again and fix Abbie with a scowl. "What more do you want? That's it!"

Abbie snorts and leans back into the sofa. "Pfft, sure. Tell me what happened. How'd you meet, why'd you break up, stuff like that. Details Novak, I want details!"

"I really don't think that-"

"C'mon on Case, everyone's had their share of bad breaks up. Spill it."

"No! We aren't going to talk about this." Casey shouts firmly, putting an end to the topic of conversation.

Abbie falls silent and purses her lips tightly. "Fine, jeez, I just wanted to know. Didn't know you were that touchy about it."

"Yeah, well I am, so the next time you feel the need to ask about it **don't**." the redhead snaps sharply, making sure that her friend gets to point.

"Okay, I'm sorry. In other words, how's Olivia?" Abbie asks sincerely. "I was gonna go see her after I got off work today, but I thought she might want some space."

"Yeah, you got that right. She's taking it pretty hard, but who wouldn't? I would die if something happened to Alex, and that's what I'm afraid of, it's just hitting too close to home now." Casey pauses before she gives Abbie a knowing look. "You should keep a close eye on Serena just in case."

"Yeah, I will. I really do worry about her when she's alone in her office at work. I just want to sit up there and watch her, but she says that's creepy so I don't do it. Shouldn't you be with Alex right now if you're so worried?"

Casey snorts and shakes her head at the brunette's question. "Alex has a gun, and she knows how to use it…"

Abbie gives her a look and bursts into laughter. Her laughter fades off as she realizes Casey has fallen completely silent. "Wait, you weren't making a funny?"

"She keeps a little mini pistol in her purse half the time. Didn't I tell you about the time that I went over to her place at around one a.m. and she almost shot me because she thought I was a burglar in her kitchen?" Casey deadpans seriously, rolling her eyes when she sees her friend trying and failing miserably to contain her snickers.

"I'm sorry, but that's really funny. All jokes aside, I really do hope they find Amanda soon. I can't even begin to imagine what the poor thing is going through." Abbie pauses for a moment before she gives Casey a knowing look. "Maybe I'll stop by the precinct tomorrow, and check up on Liv. I'll just have Kim cover for me. And who knows, maybe I'll meet this mysterious ex of yours; see what embarrassing stories about you I can dig up."

Casey rolls her eyes and smacks Abbie in the back of the head. She hopes that Abbie's threat is just a bluff of her playful banter, the very last thing that Casey needs is for anyone to find out about her past with JJ.

**The Plaza Hotel, Manhattan NY; Midnight **

JJ falls against the pillows of the king sized bed as her lover continues the passionate assault on her lips. She wraps her arms around Emily's neck, and pulls her closer, as their lips continue to glide smoothly against each other.

"It seems like forever since we've actually done this." The brunette husks, moving her oral attack down to JJ's neck.

JJ groans pleasurably as Emily's lips move down her neck, and settle on sucking tightly on her pulse point. She moves her hand upwards and tangles her fingers into dark hair. She closes her eyes and revels in the pleasure before she opens them again, finding everything has changed.

Instead of dark hair, she now finds her fingers tangled in silky red locks, that she's never grown tired of running her fingers through. Instead of deep, warm brown eyes, she finds herself being looked upon with piercing green orbs that she would get lost in daily.

JJ knows that it's wrong, but she can't help but fall victim to the images that her subconscious is presenting to her. Deep in the back of her mind she knows that it is actually Emily that is pleasuring her, and about to make love to her, but through all of that, she can't help but see another.

"It's been so long." She whispers, melting when she feels those familiar soft lips meet her own once again.

"Indeed it has." Her lover replies breathily, as she ghosts her hands up the blonde's shirt, gently stroking the soft skin of her stomach. "God, you're so beautiful."

JJ groans at the feeling of those hands on her skin combined with the passion of their tongues dueling against each other for dominance. She arches into the touch with those very same hands begin softly massaging her breast through the fabric of her bra.

She doesn't know how it happened, but she soon finds her shirt being tossed casually over the edge of the bed, and those lips connect with her skin once more, softly biting the trace of her collarbone. It all happens so fast, and before JJ could stop it, the groan slips past her lips. "Oh god, Casey."

Emily freezes her motions and she immediately raises herself up and stares down at the woman beneath her with a dangerously confused expression. "What?"

JJ feels her heart stop briefly and she mentally curses as she realizes her mistake. She opens her eyes, and is met with a very wounded, yet confused Emily Prentiss. "Nothing…I didn't say anything…" she mumbles quickly, hoping that the subject will be dismissed."

Emily shakes her head and continues to eye her girlfriend curiously. "No, I heard you. You said, 'oh god Casey'. Who's Casey?"

JJ bites her lip and averts her eyes to the wall, feeling inferior under the older woman's questionable gaze. "No one, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me Jennifer…" Emily warns firmly, before her face contorts into an even more confused scowl. "Are you cheating on me?"

JJ is taken aback by the question and she moves to where she is sitting up in the bed. "No, of course not! I would never do something like that. It really isn't important."

Emily frowns as she mentally runs through every single 'Casey' that she's come across and her profiler mind immediately zeros in on her most recent encounter. "As in Novak? As in the lawyer that works under Cabot? Why are you fantasizing about her?"

"I wasn't fantasizing about her! I don't even know her!" JJ bites her lip as soon as the lie leaves her mouth. She had no prior intentions to lie to Emily, and now it's like word vomit that she can't seem to stop. "Please Em, I-I don't know where that came from."

Emily narrows her eyes before she rolls off of the bed and retreats to another side of the room. "What aren't you telling me? You don't just randomly call me by someone else's name while we're about to have sex, and it just be 'no one'. There's someone else, isn't there?"

"Emily, no! I already told you, I'm not cheating on you, and I would never cheat on you. I just…I don't know okay? I just don't. What just happened, it was nothing. I haven't given you a reason to think that I'm cheating on you!"

"Oh really, you haven't? You have been distant, JJ. We don't talk as much as we used too, we hardly ever see each other outside of work. Most of all, we haven't had sex in over a month. Is that why you've been distant with me? Because you're seeing someone else?"

Tears spring to JJ's eyes as she vigorously shakes her head. "I'm not!"

Emily snorts and moves over to the closet where she pulls out the spare pillow and blanket. "I'm sleeping on the couch tonight. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Em, please believe I'm not-"

"We're done talking about it Jennifer. Good night."

JJ watches silently as the brunette makes herself comfortable on the couch near the window. She sighs quietly before changing into her own pajamas and climbing into bed. It wouldn't surprise her if Emily doesn't speak to her for the rest of the case, but who could blame her?

**Unknown **

"Good god, she's heavy for such a little thing." Vince grumbles as he and Frankie have to double team on carrying the black body bag. "It was easier taking her in than it is bringing her out, I'll tell ya. Who knew the term 'dead weight' would literally mean this much..."

"Just a little more out, we don't wanna make findin' her easy on em." Frankie grunts. "Hey, don't ya think we're gettin' rid of her kinda soon?"

Vince thinks for a moment before he agrees with the realization. "Yeah! I mean, I did think that Rob got through with her kinda quick, but ya know, I didn't wanna say anything. "Heard Jim and Tommy are kinda mad they didn't get their turn with her though. I mean, none of us did but I'm not complainin'."

Frankie shrugs and nearly loses his grip on the body because of the cold numbing his fingers. "I dunno, maybe the boss just didn't like her like we thought he would. Heard she kinda got on his nerves."

"Ah well, ain't much we can do about it know except get rid of her. C'mon, let's just sit her down over here and pray some dog doesn't come through and try to eat her or somethin."

The two men sit the body down in an open area where they know it'll be found by some cop if not an innocent passerby.

"Whoo, that's always a work out…" Frankie says, stretching out his back.

Vince huffs and sees his breath come out in large puffs of air, alerting him that the temperature is steadily dropping. "Hey, we should get outta here. It's gettin' kinda cold. Don't forget to call back to the house an let em know we've dumped her and we're on our way, I left my phone in my other pants."

Frankie nods his head and gives the body once last glance before he and Vince make their way back towards the SUV, leaving yet another body in their wake.

**Aheheh, sorry bout that. Jeez, talk about awkward again right? **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hmmm is all I'm gonna say about this chapter…Happy readings…if you dare. **

**1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY; 9:45 a.m. **

Olivia stares blankly at into the patterns of her desk feeling more than exhausted because of the sleep, or better yet lack-there-of that she got the night before. She can't focus, she can't think, and she doesn't want to work, not when some bastard out there has her girlfriend.

Sighing heavily, she feels like passing out when she sees a cup of coffee placed on her desk. She then glances up and finds a very concerned Abbie looking down at her. "What're you doing here?"

"Checking on you. Got you some coffee, thought you might need it. Black with one sugar right?" the taller woman raises her eyebrows, requesting for confirmation.

"Yeah…thanks…" the detective mumbles, taking a small sip of the warm liquid.

"So, how are you holding up?"

"I feel like I'm dying Abbs…with each passing second that bastard could be doing whatever the hell he wants to do to her, and I can't do anything to stop it. What good am I here if I can't even protect the woman I love?"

"Hey, don't say that." Abbie says softly, shaking her head. "You're doing everything that you can, and she knows that."

"No Abbie, what she knows, is that I'm failing her, because she shouldn't even be there in the first place. She probably hates me." the detective mutters before placing her head in her hands.

The attorney nervously bites her lip and shoves her hands in her coat pockets. "She doesn't hate you, I promise you that. If anything, she knows just how much you love her. You'll find her, I promise."

"Ladies, if you don't mind me interrupting…" Elliot says calmly, but with an edge in his voice. "But they've found a body; young woman that looks to be in here early thirties…"

**Meanwhile…**

"Are you okay? You seem a little…pissed." Garcia asks, eying Emily carefully.

The brunette snorts and crosses her arms tightly. "What do you do when you feel like someone is cheating on you?" she asks only halfway rhetorically.

Garcia raises her eyebrows in alarm and scoots closer to the agent. "Why? Is something going on with you and Jayje? C'mon Em sweetie, you know she'd never cheat on you."

"Do I? Tell me, what else am I supposed to think while I'm trying to pleasure my girlfriend and she moans someone else's name?"

At this, Penelope falls completely silent and settles on pursing her lips. She doesn't know what to think of what she's been told, but she's sure that there's more to the story. JJ would never cheat.

"Do me a favor Garcia." Emily continues on, glancing around before she leans in closure. "I want you to do some digging, and tell me what all you can find about Casey Novak."

Garcia sighs in defeat and shakes her head. "I'm afraid I can't help you there sugarplum. I've already done that, and found absolutely nothing except that she was super nerd in high school and college. Graduated valedictorian in both high school and college, top of her class in law school, there's just endless upon endless upon endless amounts of academic achievements here."

"Then why is she working second chair?" Emily questions coking her head.

"See, that's what I asked myself too. That's where she comes in, Alex Cabot, or aka super nerd 2.0. Everything about her is an achievement and she just bleeds success. Why do you ask? Aside from being the top of everything since it looks like freaking Pre School, her parents have money, and lots of it. In fact, they probably own like more than half of the Boston area. So, when you have two people working in a unit, both doing the relatively the same job, and both have the same experience potential, who do you put in charge?"

"The one with more social experience."

"Gold star for you." Garcia quips pausing momentarily. "Oh, fun fact of the day, which was also a personal observation; they're dating."

Emily raises her eyebrows and makes a face. "I thought people only dated their supervisors on television. That's weird; it'd be like Hotch dating Strauss…wait, how did you know they were dating?"

Penelope shrugs nonchalantly and absentmindedly begins tapping away on her computer. "It was kind of a given the way our lovely Miss Cabot was glaring holes into JJ yesterday for speaking to an old flame."

"What do you mean, 'old flame'."

"JJ kind of failed miserably to hide the fact that she had a little somethin' going on with the red haired beauty a little while back. She wouldn't tell me what it was though, do you know?"

Emily's face goes blank and she blinks rapidly. "You mean, she lied to me?"

Garcia's eyes go wide and her mouth falls agape. "She didn't tell you? Oh god, I had assumed that you already know, I mean, there isn't a reason for her to keep it from you, oh jeez Em I'm so sorry…"

"Where is JJ?"

"She went with Morgan and the detectives because a body has been found."

The dark haired agent grunts irritably before she stands up from her chair and briskly walks across the room to Hotch. "Hotch, remember how you said earlier that you needed someone to go to the DA's office for that file on Sharon Lancaster?"

Hotch nods his head and awaits for her to continue to see where she's going with it. "That's right…"

"Great, I'll go get it."

"Are you sure? You really don't have to."

"No, it's no problem at all. I'll go get it." she insists, earning a head nod from the unit chief. She then quickly exits the precinct and jumps into one of the bureau issued SUV's to hopefully get some answers.

**Central Park Manhattan NY**

"Liv, it's not her." Elliot says sincerely, hoping to at least get some sort of positive emotion out of his partner.

Olivia shakes her head, and looks away from the frozen lifeless body of what has been now identified as Leslie Bartlett. "She's still out there somewhere El. What if we don't find her?"

"Don't think about 'what ifs' think about how it's going to feel once you do find her. "

"I don't know what to do Elliot…I can't think, I can't sleep, I can't eat. She's been missing for a full day, what if he's already killed her by now and he's just saving her? I can't live with out her El, I just…I can't…"

Elliot moves forward and wraps his arms around the usually kept together woman in a brotherly embrace. He can't even begin to imagine what she's going through, but he knows that he's going to try to be there for her, as long as she'll let him.

"Detective, we found this in the snow." JJ says softly, handing the plastic bag to Olivia.

Liv takes the bag and opens it, taking note of everything inside; Amanda's badge, gun, and credentials. She scowls as she realizes now the sick son of a bitch is taunting them.

**Unknown **

Amanda sits curled into a corner of the room, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. If there is anything that she wants more than anything in the world, it would be to get out of this hell hole. She can't help but think of the emotional distress that Olivia is probably going through at the moment. But if it's anything like what she's going through at the moment; she understands.

She's learned in the near twenty four hours that she's been there, that Robert is going to do whatever he wants to do to her, whenever he wants to. Sometimes, it goes a lot quicker if she doesn't try to say anything or fight him. She just stays silent and waits for him to finish.

Amanda isn't sure how much more of this abuse she's going to be able to take before she finally cracks and she can tell that's just what he's waiting for. He thrives off of seeing the pain of others, and he's going to push her to her limits until she shows some sign of emotion. But Amanda is determined not to let that happen.

The door at the top of the stairs opens and Robert's heavy footsteps descend the stone walk way, making the blonde flinch with every step he takes as she awaits her untold future.

He pauses at the bottom of the stairs and smiles sadistically when he sees her huddled tightly into the corner. He's clutching a stack of white envelopes in his hand, and he slowly makes his way over to her.

"Did you have a goodnight's rest after our fun last night?" Rob asks teasingly, chuckling when she doesn't respond to him. You're a determined woman, Detective. I like that. I find it to be very sexy."

Amanda doesn't reply, but simply settles on averting her gaze to the white envelopes in his hands, curious as to what they are.

The man follows her gaze and looks down at the objects clutched in his hand. "I'm sure you're wondering what these are, so I'll tell you." he chuckles as he lines the five envelopes on the floor. "I want to play a game, Detective. A game where you will have to choose carefully, and decide the fate of another." Rob pauses to watch Amanda's eyes widen in fear before he continues. "I know anything, and everything about your little friends and loved ones. In each of these envelopes continues a picture, and a short biography about someone close to you. I will spare on of them and one I will bring here to…keep you company if you will. Your choices will be completely random."

Amanda's eyes widen again as she realizes what he's telling her to do. He's telling her that she is going to decide who his next victim is going to be, and she has no control over the selection. "You're sick."

Robert chuckles and runs his hand through his hair. "Why thank you for the flattering compliment, now pick."

"And if I don't?"

He pauses for a moment before he pulls out a gun and points it straight at her head. "Do you really want for me to respond to that question? I promise…you won't like the answer. Pick. Tell me, whose pathetic little life will I be sparing…"

Amanda swallows thickly as she stares intently at the plain white envelopes. She leans forward, and moves her hand over the one on the far right before she quickly changes her mind and picks up the one in the middle.

"Open it." Robert instructs firmly, still holding the gun in place.

The blonde glances up at him before she nervously opens the envelope. She forgoes reading the crisp sheet of paper, and feels around in the envelope until her fingers come across the glossy material of the picture. Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly pulls out the photo, letting out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding when she is met with the picture of Olivia in her dress blues, a picture every officer has to take whether they be uniform or detective.

"Well, look at that. It seems that luck was on your side then wasn't it." Robert chuckles, taking the open envelope away from her. He then motions to the remaining four on the floor. "Now, pick the other."

Amanda stares at the envelopes intently for a long moment, feeling sick to her stomach at being forced to play this demented game of his. She stares at the envelope that is on the far right for an intense moment before she settles on picking the one that is second from the left.

Opening the envelope, she feels around for the picture and gasps loudly when she pulls it out. "Oh my god, no. She's pregnant, you can't…let me pick again."

"You've already decided…"

"Please! I'll do anything! Just not her…I'll pick another…please…" she trails off quietly, feeling inhumane that she is pleading for one friend's life against three others.

Robert eyes her for a long moment before he snatches the envelope away from her and motions for her to choose from the remaining three.

Instead of taking her time, Amanda snatches the envelope from the middle and quickly opens it. She eyes the photo sadly before she hands her head and hands it to her captor.

"Excellent choice Detective." He says chuckling darkly. "I was secretly hoping you'd pick this one. Maybe since you've pleased me I'll let you keep this." He concludes, tossing her the photo of Olivia before gathering the other envelopes and leaving her alone once more.

Amanda stares at the photo of her lover and can't help the tears that begin to pool in her eyes. She feels comfortable to let them fall freely now because she didn't want him to see her cry. The defeated detective curls into the corner once more, feeling dangerously sick at the fact that she was forced to make the decision she did.

**Ohhh shoot, I've done it again haven't I? Me and these god awful cliffhangers…sheesh…I'm just horrible aren't I? Lol, leave a review? **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I love watching all of you guys assume. That also amuses me. This chapter…I don't even know what to say about this chapter. Just know that I love you guys k? **

**District Attorney's Office of Manhattan, NY **

"Yes, thank you for calling." Casey ends her phone call with a heavy sigh and slumps down in her chair. It's only the beginning of the day for her, but she feels like it's late in the evening and she just wants to go home.

Sighing, she is about to go back to her work when she sees someone lingering in her door way out of her peripheral vision. She is startled but quickly masks her initial shock, conducting an eloquent greeting for her guest. "Agent Prentiss, what can I do for you?"

"I came by to see if you had the Lancaster file, but I do have a question or so for you, if you don't mind." Emily responds, trying not to scare off the ADA.

Casey silently takes a deep breath and nods her head nervously. "Okay, um…what do you need?"

"How do you know Jennifer?" the brunette asks curiously.

Casey sighs heavily, because strangely, she knew that this would most likely come. Hell, if she were Emily, she'd probably have questions too, she's just glad that the agent isn't resorting to sending her evil death glares, much like the ones Alex was sending JJ.

"Close the door." She motions in which Emily nods her head. "Have a seat…why are you asking, and what would you like to know?"

"I was just…curious. She lied to me about knowing you, while she told our technical analyst that the two of you…have a past, I suppose I was just looking for answers…why she lied to me." Emily explains, conveniently leaving out that JJ was moaning the redhead's name last night not only when they were supposed to be having sex, but in her sleep as well.

Casey nervously chews her lip and averts her gaze to her nervously wringing hands. "It doesn't surprise me that she didn't want to tell you. But you deserve to know. We dated while we were in college and a some time after we got out. I was going to law school, she was in the academy, and things just…fell apart…"

**Flashback**

"Jay, are you home?" Casey questions, as she steps into her shared apartment with her girlfriend. She strolls into the living room and finds it to be strangely quiet. "Jayje?" she soon finds herself being attacked by a shorter figure and arms wrap tightly around her waist causing a small 'oof' to leave her lips. "Good to see you too."

"I was wondering when you were gonna get home. I missed you." JJ purrs taking her girlfriend's lips in her own. "I made your favorite for dinner."

"And who other than my beautiful girlfriend would take the time to make Lasagna Al Forno. What's the occasion?"

"You'll just have to see won't you? Go wash your hands, I'm hungry and I know you are too."

Casey shakes her head smiling before she gives the blonde a peck on the lips. "You know I am, plus, I have great news for you, but that's a surprise that'll have to wait until after dinner."

"Great, I can't wait." JJ quips excitedly, before she scurries off back to the kitchen to make sure everything is set up precisely for their perfect evening.

Casey returns to the kitchen moments later surprised by the set up presented before her. Dinner is already served along with a small side salad as a side dish, and a glass of wine, all seated on a table with a single lit candle casting a romantic glow to the rest of the kitchen.

"Wow, you've really out done yourself haven't you? And you're sure there's no occasion?" she teases as she takes a seat at the table.

JJ shakes her head grinning but refrains from answering because she doesn't want to spoil the surprise. "Like I said, you'll just have to wait. What about your great news? Are you really gonna make me wait until after dinner?"

"You'll just have to see won't you?" Casey teases back, using JJ's words from earlier back at her.

The couple spends the rest of dinner laughing lightly about how their day went and other topics of interest. They move their conversation to the couch where they sit snuggling for a moment before Casey speaks again.

"So, what was the occasion that you were just dying to make me wait for?" she questions, tickling the blonde's sides.

JJ giggles and squirms out of her girlfriend's embrace. She takes a nervous deep breath and fiddles with the object in her jacket pocket. "Well…um, I just love you, so much, and when I'm with you, I feel like I'm the luckiest girl in the world. You make me feel so loved, and wanted, and just a whole new feeling that I've never felt when I was with anyone else. So, I was…was wondering, will you marry me?" she concludes nervously, presenting Casey the diamond engagement ring with a shaky hand.

Casey stares at the ring with her mouth agape, opening and closing it several times because she can't find what she wants to say. "JJ…" she gasps breathlessly, not knowing what else to say.

"I know it's not much, but it's what I could afford right now, and I just really wanted to get you a ring. We can go pick out a better one together, though, one that would be perfect for you."

"Jayje…no, I…"

"No…?"

Casey takes a stuttering deep breath and regrets that one of the first words out of her mouth was 'no' as she shakily holds up a folded sheet of paper. "I-I got accepted to Harvard Law…I'll be going to Massachusetts and you're going into the academy and…I just…distance and everything…"

JJ's smile falters and she averts her gaze to her hands. "Wow…okay…that makes sense. I just, I guess I didn't really anticipate you saying no."

"Don't you just think…it's a little soon for that anyway? I'm really sorry Jen." Casey says softly, reaching over to softly touch the blonde's arm, but she decides better of it."

"It's fine." JJ mutters, shaking her head and blinking away stray tears. "You're right. I guess I just thought…anyway, I think I'm gonna go to bed now."

"Jen…"

"No, Casey it's fine. I'm just…tired. Good night." And with that, JJ silently gets off of the couch and makes her way to their shared bedroom.

Casey stares after her with her mouth slightly agape once again. Sighing, she leans back onto the couch and rakes her fingers through her hair. She stares at the ring left on the coffee table, next to her acceptance letter to Harvard, silently cursing them both for making her make regretful decisions.

**End Flashback **

"I broke her heart that night…" Casey concludes, absentmindedly tracing random patters on her desk. "We tried the distance thing, but it never lasted long, but I knew that, because I knew she was still hurting from me rejecting her marriage proposal. I said I'd write, I'd call and I did for awhile, but we both just got so busy, it just stopped happening. When she saw me a few days ago, I commend her for keeping it casual, but I could see the hurt that was deep down…"

Emily purses her lips and averts her gaze to the floor as she taps her fingers on her knee out of habit. "She never told me any of that."

"It's not really something I think either of us likes to talk about." Casey says shrugging. "When I told Alex, last night, she didn't exactly take it lightly that I hadn't told her before, but I think that's just how she is…"

"Thank you for telling me." The agent says quietly, contemplating what she's just learned and putting it together with everything else. "I think she still has feelings for you…"

Casey's eyes widen briefly and she swears her heart briefly stops. This most definitely isn't going to be helping with her whole Alex situation, not in the slightest.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

"Man, it's broad daylight, I can't do it now!" Vince hisses into the Bluetooth earpiece, all the while trying to remain casual at his post.

"The boss says now Vince! C'mon, Jim and I have already disabled the cameras, what more leeway do you need?" Tony hisses back through his line of the connection. "Don't you still have that little napkin in your pocket?"

"I was saving that for in case of emergency! You know I don't have a lot of that stuff!"

"Well this is an emergency, it's broad daylight and he wants her now. C'mon just do it, you know that we can't go back empty handed, when he says he wants something, he wants it now."

Vince sighs heavily and runs his hands through his hair. "Are the others keeping track of where she's at? How much time do I got?"

"Frankie's been keeping tabs on her. He says she's about to pull into the parking garage. If you catch her out there, that'll be great. That way, we can just bring the car around, stuff her in, we drive off, and you go back to doing your thing." Tony explains as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "You don't have a whole lotta time to decide. That's the plan, and you're gonna have to follow through with it, or wait for Rob to chop your nuts off."

Vince glances around him and finds the front lobby vacant. "Alright, I'm going, keep an ear out." He instructs making sure he has the cloth in his pocket before he exits the building, and discretely makes his way to the parking garage.

"Just make sure she doesn't scream." Jim adds in from his end of the line.

"Yeah, because I totally want everyone one to hear her…" Vince mutters sarcastically. "You guys sure you disabled the camera's? I don't want me leaving to show up on the feed."

"Yeah, yeah, they're disabled, we've checked…three times. Just go, and we'll be listening in for you to give us the go ahead to come and get her."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it, keep her quiet, make it quick, I got it. Now just shut up and let me do my job." The younger man mutters, shuffling his feet in anticipation. He waits quietly before he spots just the person he's looking for."

"Good morning Vince."

"Morning Miss Carmichael." He responds smiling greatly at the attorney. "Rolling in a little late this morning aren't we? It's almost noon isn't it?"

Abbie chuckles and checks her watch. "It's just barely eleven. And I was visiting a friend over at the precinct, that's all. How are you this morning? You still working the dayshift huh?" she asks the usual nightshift guard.

"Yeah, day and nights, until the other guy that works the days gets off of leave. Heard his wife just had twins or something like that." he responds, falling into step with the brunette.

"I see, well, you'll get used to it eventually." Abbie respond shrugging. "I guess pretty soon I'll be knowing what that parent life is like."

"Oh yeah! Do you know if it's just one, or…"

"God, I hope its just one. I feel like for my first time, luck should go easy on me you know?"

Vince nods his head and continues to distract Abbie into conversation. He knows that he has to act quickly as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the white cloth. Moving quickly, he wraps his arm around the attorney's neck before he places the white cloth tightly over her nose and mouth. He strains briefly as she struggles against him, her screams only coming out as muffled wails because of his tight grip.

Moments later, Vince feels her slowly go lip in his arms and instantly become deadweight. "Oh dear god, why do all the twigs weight like a billion pounds, glad Rob never wants a fat woman…" he grunts, dragging the unconscious brunette over to the SUV where Jim and Tony are waiting.

"Whoa, she's taller up close." Jim says rubbing his neck.

"She's heavy up close too…" Vince mutters stretching out his back as he lays Abbie across the back seat of the vehicle. "You guys need to get out of here before the parking attendant comes back."

Tony nods and climbs behind the wheel of the SUV. The two men watch as Vince casually returns to his post in the lobby before they quickly speed out of the parking garage.

"Gee, I sure hope that stuff is long lasting, and she doesn't wake up on the way back. I didn't put anything over her mouth."

"Well, don't worry about it. Once we get back to the house, she's no longer our problem."

**While reading the reviews I must address, that in my earlier chapter where our main antagonist said he wanted a blonde, I meant that as in he wanted one at the time, not that he ****only ****targets blondes. I think that should clear up what just happened. **

**Yes, yes, I know…I took a stab at all of your hearts with that last one. Just know, it made me sad writing it. It was an accidental cliffhanger I swear. Leave a review? **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello all….your friendly neighborhood author here has really bad food poisoning, so I was only able to get out one chapter today, and it's super late too. Sorry about that…anyway, things are getting tougher and tougher with this story, but hang in there ;) if you can. **

**Court of Judge Lena Petrovsky; The People vs. Mark Waters **

"Your Honor, can we _please_ begin…" the defense attorney says exasperatedly, irritation evident in his voice and posture.

"Mr. Brinks, I advice you to keep your whining to a minimum." Lena responds giving the young man a firm glare. "You, the rest of the people in this court, and I all know fairly well that we can not begin this trial until the prosecution is in **full **attendance." She completes her statement with another firm glare but this time, aimed at Kim Greyleck who is slumping at the prosecution table. "Miss Greyleck, for the sake of everyone's time, would you care to share the whereabouts of our lead prosecutor?"

Kim awkwardly clears her throat and glances at the time on her watch. "Permission to approach Your Honor…?"

"…permission granted." Lena huffs sitting back in her chair as the two attorneys approach the bench.

"Your Honor, I find this highly inappropriate that the court is to be kept waiting because the prosecution is unprepared, and for lack of a better term, late." Brinks says flatly, concluding his rant with a snooty glance at Kim who simply rolls her eyes.

"While it pains me to do so, I must unfortunately agree with Mr. Brinks on one account, though I would not have worded it quite like that. Where is Miss Carmichael?" the judge questions thoroughly.

Kim glances nervously at her watch once again and looks back up at the judge. "Too be honest Your Honor, I have no idea where she is. She should have been here by now."

"Humph, figures. Prosecutors think that time waits for them and they do what ever it is they want." The defense attorney states snidely.

"Will you shut up?" Kim snaps at the man, startling him into silence. "Your Honor, if you will grant me time to make a phone call, I'm sure that I can find out where she is."

Lena stares at her for what seems like the longest of moments to the prosecutor before she huffs and leans back in her chair once again. "You have five minutes."

Kim gives the judge a quick nod before she speedily exits the courtroom to make her phone call. "God, Abbie, you're never this late…" she mutters as she dials the number and presses the phone to her ear. Her heels click against the marble floor as she paces back and forth, listening to the continuous ringing on the other line. Moments later, she curses under her breath when the call goes to voicemail. Ever the so determined, Kim hangs up and redials the number.

Once again, she is greeted with a long series of ringing. "Oh my god, pick up the phone." Kim hisses irritably. Just then, as if her prays were answered, the other line picks up.

"Uh, hello?"

"Hello…? Alex? Why are you answering Abbie's phone?"

Alex takes the phone away from her ear and glances at it confusedly. "This is Abbie's phone? I don't know, I was walking to my car and I found it lying here in the parking garage. It said you were calling, and I kind of recognized your number so I answered it."

Kim sighs heavily and drags her fingers through her hair. "Great…do you know where she is? We have court, approximately right now, and I can't get a hold of her. Well, at least now I know why, but I assumed she would have called and told me she was gonna be late. Petrovsky's getting pissed, and I think I've used up my five minutes for this phone call."

Alex frowns in confusion and purses her lips. "That's weird, her car is here. Hang on…" she concludes before she pulls out her own phone and calls upstairs. "Serena, is Abbie in her office?"

"That's just what I was about to ask you, if you knew where she was but you aren't in the building either…" Serena mutters upon picking up the phone.

"I know, I'm in the parking garage, and I found her phone down here. Her car is here too, but I don't know where she is. I have Kim on the other phone saying they have court right now and Abbie hasn't shown up."

"Well, I called down to the front desk and no one saw her walk in. Oh god, Alex, what if something's happened to her?"

Alex closes her eyes and a shuddering breath. That's one of the very last scenarios that she needs running through her mind at the moment. "Hey, we don't know that okay? I'm sure there's a logical explanation for where she is."

**Unknown **

Amanda jumps in surprise and presses herself farther into the wall when she hears the door at the top of the stairs forcefully thrown open. She hears male voices swearing continuously as their heavy footsteps descend the stairs.

"You know what'd be funny? What if she's already dead, and we're doing all of this for nothing?" one of them says, his voice laced with dry humor.

"That wouldn't be funny at all. Do you know how much trouble we'd be in if she's already dead? I'd tell you to check for a pulse, but knowing you, you'd drop her and then we'd be in even more trouble." The other replies as the two finally reach the bottom of the cellar.

The two men don't bother to acknowledge the silent blonde as they cross the room and rest the body against the wall before quickly retreating back up the stairs, bickering the whole way up.

Amanda waits silently for about a minute before she slowly moves over to the unconscious attorney slumped against the wall. Reaching her hand out, she cautiously presses her fingers to the base of the brunette's neck, letting out a sigh of relief when she does feel a pulse.

"Oh god, Abbie I'm so sorry…" she whispers sadly before lightly tapping Abbie on the face. "You've gotta wake up though, okay?"

The detective huffs in defeat when she realizes that her attempts to wake up the attorney are proven useless. She glances back to her usual corner and quickly retrieves the bottle of water that she was given. "Sorry about this…" she mutters before she unscrews the cap and dumps it's contents on the unconscious woman.

The intrusion of the cold liquid somehow startles Abbie out of her unconscious state, and she awakens, gasping for air against the water flooding into her nostrils. "Oh my god…what the hell…where am I…Amanda?"

All is silent before Amanda lurches forward and wraps her arms tightly around Abbie's neck, mainly in the slight comfort of seeing another person. "Abbie, oh my god, I'm so sorry, he made me pick. I didn't want to be he was going to kill me if I didn't, and it…it was completely random and I picked Serena first but I told him she was pregnant and I just, oh god I'm so sorry."

Abbie blinks in confusion before she pulls back to meet to sobbing woman's gaze. "You mean, he's been watching Serena?"

"He's been watching everyone, I don't know how, he just…he has. I don't know what he's going to do to me, or you, and I've been here for…god, I don't even know what day it is. I just want to go home, I just want to go home so Liv can hold me, and everything will be okay again."

The attorney falls silent for a long moment to take everything in. She has never seen Amanda so shattered and broken as opposed to the strong and capable detective she's used to seeing. It actually makes Abbie wonder what's gone on in there since the blonde was abducted, but at the very same time, she isn't sure that she wants to know.

"Amanda…what's he done to you?" she asks softly after a lengthy silence.

Amanda bites down on her bottom lip and averts her eyes to the floor. "Nothing, I've just been here. He hasn't done anything to me." she lies.

Abbie can tell that she's lying, but she knows well enough not to press the subject any further. She frowns as she remembers exactly how she got to where she was. "The security guard…" she says flatly.

The blonde looks up at her random outburst and gives her a look of total confusion. "What...?"

"The security guard at the DA's office. He usually works nightshifts, but he got put on day because the other wasn't available. I was walking to the office from my car when he grabbed me. He's too close to Serena. Amanda, we have to get out of here."

"You think I haven't looked all around here for that? There's no way out of here Abbie, we're stuck until someone comes to look for us, or until he kills us. And something tells me the latter is going to happen a lot sooner."

**Later That Night **

"Was Serena finally able to fall asleep?" Casey asks in reference to the woman in Alex's guest room as Alex reenters the bedroom.

Alex nods her head and reluctantly climbs into bed next to her girlfriend…or at the time, she isn't even sure that they are anymore. "Yeah, it won't surprise me if she has nightmares though. This just doesn't make any sense, first Amanda goes missing, now Abbie's missing I just…I don't know what to think about all of this. I'm scared, not just for them, but for us too. God, I can't even imagine what Serena and Liv are going through right now."

"Hey, everything is going to turn out okay, alright?" Casey purrs softly, wrapping her arms around the blonde, becoming a little peeved at the fact that Alex involuntarily scooted away from her. "Alex, seriously, you cannot still be mad about what I told you."

Alex purses her lips and doesn't say anything for the longest of times. She knows that she really doesn't have a reason to be mad, but she can't help it. There's just something about JJ that makes her uneasy.

"I'm not mad." she mumbles eventually, looking away from Casey's eyes.

"Then you're pissed. Alex I don't know what else I can do to tell you that what I had with her is long over, and I only have feelings for you. I love you, and only you. Meeting an ex girlfriend of mine again isn't going to change that. Why are you so insecure about this?" Casey asks hoping to get to the bottom of Alex's insecurities.

"She was your first love, and she seems to have a whole lot more to offer than I. She seems softer, and kinder, and frankly when people look at me, those are the very last things they think of. I'm just afraid of you leaving me."

Casey sighs and shakes her head feeling like she's had to explain this several times before. "I'm not going anywhere. Look, you're not thinking straight right now, none of us our, two of our closet friends are missing and we have no idea where they are. But I just need you to trust me."

Alex sighs and once again with a tinge of reluctance, let's her head rest on Casey's shoulder. "I know, and I trust you. I'm just scared, for more reasons that one."

**1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY; 10:46 a.m. **

"We believe that we are working with a group of some sorts here. A group that feels that they have something that they need to prove to the rest of the public." Hotch explains addressing the squad room full of officers and detectives. "This group will stop at nothing until they're satisfied with the fear that they've stricken into the public."

"And what other way to do that, than to attack those who carry the meaning of the law." Dave adds in. "One of the members of this so called group, has personal issues with women who are attorneys hence why they have become the main targets."

"But what about the missing detective?" A uniform asks as he listens intently.

"Detective Rollins was not only him satisfying his need for a woman, but also to send a message to the local police department saying that he isn't afraid of them. Had he not found some ulterior motive to keeping her, he would have let her go, simply because she's not an attorney." Reid rattles off with accuracy.

"Be on the look out for any one who works near or even at the DA's office." Emily speaks up for the first time. "We believe that one of the men is employed there seeing as the location of ADA Carmichael's abduction was the parking garage."

"These men are said to be fairly dangerous and everyone needs to keep their eyes peeled." Hotch concludes, ending the profile meeting.

The large group breaks up and Casey finds herself absent mindedly looking or a certain blue eyed blonde she needs to have a word or so with. Fighting through the crowd of uniform officers, Casey finally makes her way to the other side of the squad room where she finds JJ chatting with the technical analyst.

"Hey, uh, sorry to interrupt, but Jen, can we…talk?" she questions nervously, trying to ignore the inquisitive look that Penelope is giving her.

JJ hesitates and casts Garcia a curious glance before she nods her head. "Uh…sure…"

The two exit the precinct to get away from the crowd and the lack of privacy they would have had. Casey eyes the shorter woman curiously, and it takes her a while before she can come up with what she wants to say.

Finally, after a hesitant and awkward silence, she finally just settles on not beating around the bush. "I'll just be honest here…I know that you still have feelings for me."

JJ's eyes widen briefly and she shakes her head in the negative. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Jennifer, it's okay to tell me, you know that right?"

"There's nothing to tell…I'm over it, I'm over you." the blonde lies mercilessly, not wanting the conversation to continue.

"I could always tell when you were lying." Casey sighs. "Jen listen, I know that I hurt you, and I'm sorry, and I know that you still feel someth-"

"Casey I already told you I didn't! It's pointless and I'm over it!"

"No you're not Jen…"

"I am, why are you so determined that I am not? You don't know everything Casey…"

"I never said that I did, all I'm saying is that, this will be a lot easier if you would just tell me the truth."

"I'm not lying about anythi-"

"Yes you are."

JJ growls in frustration, and before a second of time elapses, she moves forward and firmly meets the attorney's lips with her own.

Casey's eyes go wide and she stands completely frozen in shock. She can't think, she can't move, and for one of the first times in her life, she has absolutely no idea what to do.

**Oh geez…awkward…again…hmmm…what's gonna happen next? Leave a review? **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter is far, far, longer than I thought it would be. Reading your guys' reviews, it lightens up a girl's day, especially when she's on her couch metaphorically dying because of bad spaghetti. Anyway, enough of my sulking, happy readings!**

In an awkward turn of events, JJ is the first to pull away from the kiss leaving Casey stunned and petrified, standing stiff as a board.

"You…kissed me…" The words tumble out of the attorney's mouth uncontrollably like that of an awkward teenager.

JJ flushes and averts her gaze to the cracks of the sidewalk. "I-I'm sorry…I don't know where that came from."

With out warning, Casey wraps her arms around the blonde's waist and pulls her in for another kiss. This kiss is more heated than the last as their lips glide smoothly against each other.

JJ's hands travel upward, and she tangles both of her hands in Casey's red locks, pulling the attorney impossibly closer. She soon feels Casey's tongue bathing her lower lip, requesting for entrance, a request that she quickly grants. Their tongues battle hungrily as the two women fight for dominance.

"God, I think…I love you, it's been way to long." The agent husky in between kisses.

Casey growls somewhere in the back of her throat and just barely slips her fingers under JJ's shirt, gently caressing the soft skin. The touch makes her fingers burn with need and desire, a desire that she hasn't felt in so long. "It has…I shouldn't have left you."

Alex stands completely frozen on the steps of the precinct as she watches the love of her life make out heavily with another woman. She can't remember the last time that Casey has ever touched her like that, or looked at her like that, or even spoke to her like that.

Her hear is beating frantically out of her chest, and no matter how hard she tries, she can't force her muscles to move, or her mouth to speak. Words get caught under the large lump in her throat.

A strangled squeak escapes Alex's lips, but it's not as if Casey heard it. She's too engrossed in the woman in her arms, the woman that Alex feels has so much more to offer than she does, the woman that is better than she is, the woman that will always carry Casey's heart on a little gold chain.

* * *

Alex gasps as she sits straight up in bed with her heart violently hammering against her chest. She takes several deep breaths and rakes her hand through her disheveled hair, taking note of the perspiration that accumulated on her forehead.

Sighing, she glances at the figure sleeping next to her and everything begins coming together as she realizes that it was just a dream. One thing she has never been able to understand is how peaceful Casey is able to sleep during the night, no matter what the situation is, she's just always a peaceful sleeper.

Alex carefully peels back the covers and carefully climbs out of bed. She throws a silk robe over her shoulders and ties it tightly about the waist, before she draws her hair up into a messy ponytail.

She then quietly makes her way down the hall to the guestroom to silently check on Serena. Leaning against the doorframe, Alex can't help but notice the sleeping woman's face screwed up into anger, pain, frustration, and hurt while she tightly clutches a pillow, seeking comfort from the inanimate object in place of that of her missing lover.

"Hang in there Rena, for both Abbie, and your baby." Alex whispers before she makes her way down stairs and into the kitchen. She puts together the components for a instant tea before placing the mug into the microwave. It isn't until the microwave dings that she realizes she isn't alone anymore.

"Al? What are you doing up? It's like…three thirty in the morning." Casey says sleepily entering the kitchen, having noticed the sudden emptiness in the bed.

Alex shakes her head and puts the mug on the counter top to cool. "I couldn't sleep, go back to bed."

Casey yawns greatly before scratching her head, trying to wake up. "Babe, what's wrong? You only get up at dark thirty in the morning when something's bothering you."

"I already told you…I just couldn't sleep." Alex mumbles in response before she forces a smile on to her face. The very last thing that she wants to do is tell Casey about her nightmare. "I'm fine, go back to sleep."

**1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY; 10:46 a.m. **

"We believe that we are working with a group of some sorts here. A group that feels that they have something that they need to prove to the rest of the public." Hotch explains addressing the squad room full of officers and detectives. "This group will stop at nothing until they're satisfied with the fear that they've stricken into the public."

"And what other way to do that, than to attack those who carry the meaning of the law." Dave adds in. "One of the members of this so called group, has personal issues with women who are attorneys hence why they have become the main targets."

"But what about the missing detective?" A uniform asks as he listens intently.

"Detective Rollins was not only him satisfying his need for a woman, but also to send a message to the local police department saying that he isn't afraid of them. Had he not found some ulterior motive to keeping her, he would have let her go, simply because she's not an attorney." Reid rattles off with accuracy.

"Be on the look out for any one who works near or even at the DA's office." Emily speaks up for the first time. "We believe that one of the men is employed there seeing as the location of ADA Carmichael's abduction was the parking garage."

"These men are said to be fairly dangerous and everyone needs to keep their eyes peeled." Hotch concludes, ending the profile meeting.

The meeting breaks up and Alex can't help but find herself glancing at a certain FBI agent across the room. Everything is set up like her dream and it's beginning to weird her out with each passing second.

"Hey, are you okay?" Casey asks softly placing a hand on her arm. "You've been pretty quiet all morning."

Alex nods her head and once again forces herself to smile. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I didn't mean to worry you, I'm just thinking about Serena, that's all."

Casey eyes her girlfriend curiously before she settles on nodding her head. She can tell when Alex doesn't want to talk about something anymore, and this is definitely one of those times.

* * *

"Hotch, I just had an idea…what if we try to bait this guy out? " Morgan suggest curiously. "I mean, it makes sense right? If one of the guys works at the DA's office, that means he's gotta be there right now. We could draw him out, and then see what kind of answers we could get out of him."

Hotch raises his eyebrows as if to be entertaining the thought. Though he would never admit it out loud, Derek does have somewhat of a valid point. "Detective?" he asks turning towards Olivia making it her call.

Olivia thinks for a long moment before she sighs in defeat. "I usually wouldn't entertain the thought, but at this point, I just really want to catch this guy. But who would you use to draw him out might I ask?"

"I think you and I both have a very good idea of who would be well suited for this operation."

**District Attorney's Office of Manhattan, NY **

Alex scowls deeply as waits for the descending elevator, mentally cursing the small hearing aid in her ear as if it is at fault for her sour mood.

"I don't enjoy being used as a worm…" she mutters knowing fairly well the agents can hear her, just like she can hear them.

"Miss Cabot, I promise you that my agents and I are sure to keep you very well protected. Just pretend that we're not here." Hotch replies nonchalantly.

_'Of course…because I feel totally comfortable knowing people are probably watching my every move.'_ Alex thinks to herself as she steps onto the elevator. She isn't completely sure why she agreed to doing this, and she strictly remembers having to tell Casey not to follow her everywhere she goes; she already feels stalked enough.

She steps off of the elevator and into the lobby only to be greeted by the security guard. "Afternoon Miss Cabot."

"Good afternoon Vince, how has your day been so far?" she asks, engaging the younger man into conversation.

"It's been great, and yours?" he responds, stepping closer to the blonde.

"It's been fine, a little hard though you know? Abbie is one of my best friends. I'm really worried about what happened to her." she responds shrugging.

A bit of discomfort flashes across the guard's face, and as soon as it's there, it's gone. "Yeah, it's a shame what happened to her isn't it? The fact that it happened right here too, it's a scary thing."

Alex raises an eyebrow and eyes him curiously, sensing his discomfort. Something about him has always seemed a bit off to her but she's never really felt the need to mention. "Yeah, it is a bit scary. Anyway, I have to go get something from my car, you have a good afternoon."

"Yeah you too." Vince mutters, listening to the boys from his Bluetooth set telling him what to do and when. He watches the attorney walk about twenty paces ahead of him before he leaves his post to follow her.

"I have a bad feeling about the guard; I think he's following me. He looked like he wanted to." Alex mutters through the earpiece.

"He is. We won't let him touch you. Just casually continue what you're doing."

Vince follows Alex into the parking lot, well aware of the guys talking to him through his Bluetooth.

"Nab this one quick, Rob thinks she knows too much." Frankie says through his line of the phone.  
"I'm going. This one scares me though. This wouldn't be so easy if you guys were on this end of the deal." Vince hisses quietly.

"Hey, we grabbed all those others. It's about time you started doing your job." Tommy replies. "Now go, she moves fast."

Vince huffs and continues his chase as his comrades listen in from their end of the call. He continues to follow Alex to her car when he suddenly feels the sharp over bearing pain of a well placed kick connecting with his groin.

He soon finds himself kneeling with his hands between his legs in front of a very angry female detective pointing her gun at his head. He glances around and sees that he has a total of three guns pointed at his head, as well as two agents dragging his friends out of their SUV. This is not going to end well.

**Later back at the Precinct **

"So Liv nailed him in the nuts?" Casey asks raising her eyebrows in amusement. "I'm sad I missed that."

Alex nods her head as they look at their friend stare down the guard inside one of the interrogation rooms. "She's pretty pissed."

"This guy knows where Amanda is." Elliot adds in taking a stand next to them. "I'm pretty sure I'd be pissed too. Is it safe to lave her in there with any of these guys?"

"You know, I asked that very same question about five minutes ago?" Casey recalls as they continue to watch.

Olivia stares at the man sitting in the chair looking at her with slightly fearful eyes. The only thing she wants to do is bash his head in with her fists, but she knows that would be risking her job.

"Where are they? And before you answer, I want you to think long and hard about how you're going to answer, because I know that you know something. So before you answer, I want you to think clearly about what you're going to say to me, because the only thing stopping me from putting a severe dent in your face is this badge, and that camera over there."

Vince swallows thickly and feels like Olivia's gaze is going to make him spontaneously combust. He knows that there are people on the other side of the one way window; it's just a matter of whom. He also knows that if he says too much that he's going to be killed, and with that, it's just a matter of when.

"I don't know anything that can help you detective." He lies miserably, jumping when her fist slams so hard on the table that he's sure it was going to collapse. He winces at the reappearing painful discomfort between his legs, and he thoroughly wishes that someone had given him some ice.

"Don't lie to me. Where the fuck are they?" she asks again, this time getting in his face. "If you have nothing better to do than play games with me, then that's what we can sit here and do, all day, and all night until you decide to talk. Just know, that if you don't tell me where they are, and believe me, I know that you know, I will make your life god awful hell for the rest of your miserable little life, do you understand me?"

The guard hesitates for a moment before he turns his head and focuses on a spot on the wall. "There's an place on Bakers street. A run down place but its still intact. They could be there."

Olivia narrows her eyes for a moment before quickly exiting the room, nearly knocking Casey and Alex over in the process. "We've got an address."

* * *

JJ is walking back into squad room where she almost literally bumps into Alex. "Sorry…" she says sincerely, only to raise her eyebrows in confusion when the taller woman doesn't budge. Sighing, she folds her arms and matches the attorney's glare. "Okay, look, what's your problem with me?"

Alex narrows her eyes and purses her lips into a tight thin line. "You need to stay away from Casey. I know that you still feel something for her."

"Okay A) that's the past, and B) it's really not any of your business." JJ retorts coldly. "You need to cool down. You don't even know me, and I'm not trying to invade on your territory or whatever okay?"

"Good, and it needs to stay that way. I better not catch you anywhere near my Casey, or else we're going to have a problem." And with that, Alex briskly walks off, leaving a gapping JJ in her wake.

Emily, having seen the two talking, approaches her dumbstruck girlfriend. "Was she giving you problems?"

JJ blinks for a moment before she forces a smile. "No, no…just talking that's all. C'mon, Hotch says we need to check out these locations."

**3425 Bakers Street **

"This place just looks like a rundown shack." JJ mumbles as she, Olivia, and a few uniforms move to check out one of the addresses that were given to them by the three men. "I don't see how there would be people in there."

"I don't either, but it wouldn't kill us to look. We need to find Amanda and Abbie before they end up like those seven other women." The detective responds as they take the lead through the gate.

JJ pauses as the step onto the rickety porch before she turns to the brunette at her side. "Are you and Detective Rollins…"

"Yes, we are…that's why I _need_ to find her. I'd die if something happened to her, as I'm sure that Emily would die if something happened to you." Olivia responds knowingly earning a nod from the younger agent. "I'll go check out the back, see if there's a way in that way."

JJ nods again and glances back at the uniforms waiting by the gate at the ready. She poises her gun and reaches out, touching the doorknob when her body goes completely rigid. She is bound to the doorknob by the electrical current as the dangerous and deadly voltage makes it's way through her body.

"JJ, I couldn't find a…" Olivia trails off upon seeing the blonde 'stuck' in the electrical current. It isn't until then that she realizes they were set up and that there is a live wire touching the door on the other side. Thinking fast, she recalls what to do in the given situation and bum rushes quickly dying agent, sending the two of them tumbling down the porch stairs.

Liv tries to ignore the small jolt she got from the current as she removes JJ's Kevlar vest, swearing loudly when she doesn't feel a pulse. She quickly begins doing CPR as she radios in the call through her earpiece. "This is Benson at 3425 Barkers Street, I have an officer down, I repeat, officer down."

"God I hope Prentiss doesn't kill me for this…." She mutters to herself as she alternates between chest compressions and artificial resuscitation, in an attempt to keep the seemingly dead woman alive.

**Me, and these damn cliffhangers! I don't try to do it guys honest! Hehehehe, I bet I got y'all with Alex's whole dream concept, hehehehehe, I knew that one was gonna be a doozey. Anyway, leave a review? **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This is long overdue…my bad guys. Anyhow, I promised I'd post it today, so here it is! Hope you enjoy. **

"Do you know what she's having?" Amanda says quietly, breaking the rather uncomfortable, dreary silence.

Abbie looks up from the floor and tilts her head in confusion. "What?"

"Serena, do you know what she's having yet?" the detective repeats curiously.

Abbie smiles slightly and shakes her head. "No, we don't…the doctor said that we could find out at her appointment this weekend though."

"What do you want it to be?"

"Personally, I want a boy, but Serena really, really hopes it's a girl. I guess my overall thing is that I hope it's just one baby, and there isn't another one hiding in there somewhere. Do you and Liv ever talk about kids?"

Amanda shakes her head and chuckles at the question. "We might've talked about it once or twice, you know, just to see how the other felt about it. I mean, we both like kids, it's just, our jobs and everything, we aren't ever really home. One of us would have to quit, and I don't think either of us want that. I told her we should get a cat just to see, and then we could possibly start discussing that part of our future. You know who would make really cute parents though? Casey and Alex."

Abbie snorts and has to refrain from bursting out in hysteric laughter. "While I would agree, I gotta say, the chances of Serena having sextuplets are higher than those two having a kid. Casey hates kids believe it or not."

Amanda's job drops in astonished shock. "What? No way, I thought everyone liked kids!"

"Not Casey, she's the type that thinks they're too much of a handful, irritating, and a hole in her bank account." Abbie explains snickering. "It's kinda funny really, just by looking at her you couldn't tell that she didn't like kids. I know Alex wants kids though, especially now since Serena is having a baby. Whatever Serena has, Alex wants and vise versa. So there's no doubt Blondie is pushing Casey to at least entertain the thought of a kid."

They fall into a silence once more before Amanda speaks again. "Do you think they're ever gonna find us?"

Abbie is silent for a long moment before she settles on shrugging her shoulders. "I'm sure they will. They've got to right? Ugh, I had court yesterday too, Petrovsky must've let Kim have it good for me not showing up…who is this bastard anyway?"

Amanda shrugs and hugs her knees tight to her chest. She involuntarily shudders at the thought of their captor coming and having his way with her again; the thought just simply makes her sick all over again. She ends up taking a shuttering deep breath, that she doesn't realize is that loud until Abbie says something.

"Amanda, are you alright? What's wrong?" Abbie asks concernedly, sensing the feelings of the other woman lingering heavy in the room.

The detective squeezes her eyes shut and hugs her knees even tighter not if seeking not only comfort but protection. "How are you supposed to deal, when you became the very thing that you live to protect everyday?" she asks softly, her voice just barely above a whisper.

Abbie's eyebrows raise into her hair line and she opens and clothes her mouth several times before coming up with something audibly coherent. "Amanda…"

"I just, don't understand. When I'm at work, I know of everything that is at risk, I just never think that I myself would ever be a victim. It's not the same anymore, Abbie, it's just, it's not. Whenever I close my eyes in here, I see him, I feel him on me, sometimes I'll wake up and he'll be here. How am I supposed to feel like I do any ounce of good out there, when I'm the one who ends up in here? I can't do it Abbie, I just, I can't do it…"

Abbie watches as the usually composed detective breaks down into sobs. She slowly moves across the floor and carefully wraps her arms around the sobbing woman. "Shhh, it's okay."

Amanda squeezes her eyes shut and attempts to stop the constant flow of tears but as she rests her head on Abbie's shoulder, she just can't help it. "The pain, it's just so much, I wish he'd just kill me instead sometimes. It hurts Abbie, it just hurts so much I don't know what to do."

"It'll be okay, I promise we'll get out of here?"

"And how can you be so sure? It's only a matter of time before he gets tired of me and decides to dump my body somewhere by a lake…"

Abbie stays silent this time and just settles on gently rubbing small circles on Amanda's back. She knows that the two of them have to stay positive if they have any chance for survival, but how is that even possible considering the circumstances?

**Meanwhile…**

"Why is she twitching like that?" Olivia asks curiously as she watches JJ's body twitch violently for probably a fifth time since they've been in the ambulance.

"It's the electric shock. It causes muscle spasms, as well as attacks the heart." One of the EMTs replies motioning towards the heart monitor.

Olivia glances at the machine and winces at the unsteady and inconsistent heartbeat of the woman on the gurney. She was thankful that the paramedics finally came when they did despite the amount of ice covering the roads. She was tiring herself out doing CPR and she knows that had she stopped at any time, she would've lost JJ completely.

"Is she going to be alright?" Liv asks after a long moment of silence. In a way she feels a little responsible that this happened, and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if something happened to the agent because she didn't act quickly enough.

One of the EMTs looks to her ready to response when they are interrupted by a loud high pitched whine. They all take a quick glance at the monitor once more only to find the inconsistent blips turning into a straight green line.

"She's going into cardiac arrest, is it safe to use the defibrillator?" one of them asks hurriedly.

"It's going to have to be, we don't any other choice than that."

Olivia watches carefully as the small team of EMTs work to restart the blonde's heart. After several gut wrenching minutes of an untold future, small inconsistent beeps once again return to the heart monitor, and every one in the ambulance let's out a breath they hadn't know they had been holding.

The entire ride to the hospital was intently nerve wracking and it was until that they were there that Olivia had phone reception once again. The first person that she had called was Emily, and she would be lying if she said that she hadn't expected the ear full of profanities she got in the process. She knew that it would take the elder agent will probably break every single traffic law in the state of New York to get there too.

"Benson!"

See, five minutes, with ice on the road, and hellish New York traffic. Olivia squeezes her eyes shut for a long moment before she spins around and finds herself face to face with a rather angry looking Emily Prentiss. Not only is there anger, but there is also a large amount of fear and worry ever so present in the taller woman's eyes.

"Look, Emily, I tried to call but I didn't have phone reception where I was, and I just…we were at the house and the assholes had connected a live current to the doorknob. I couldn't stop her, if I could have I would've tried, honest." Olivia explains, praying to anything that she isn't about to have a gun pulled on her.

Emily's jaw unclenches and she visibly relaxes a bit before letting out a great sigh. "Have you heard anything?"

At this the detective vigorously shakes her head. "No since we've to here. Back at that house, I had to do CPR on her until the EMTs got there, and even on the way over here she went into cardiac arrest twice. I really am sorry."

"It's not your fault…I should have been there." The raven haired woman replies, pinching the bridge of her nose. "The others rung in while you and JJ were out, the other location was bogus, no trace of any one ever being there in the first place."

"Was there any kind of set up?"

"Not that I've heard of, I heard it was just an empty location. So I guess we have to go back to square one and talk to the suspects again."

"Emily Prentiss?"

Both women snap their head to the side towards the doctor who is glancing over something on his clipboard.

"Uh yeah, that's me…" Emily says stepping forward, "how is Jennifer?"

"Well for a minute there it was definitely touch and go." He says seriously. "Had Detective Benson not performed CPR when she did, Agent Jareau could have suffered from some major brain damage. She will have some major burns on her hand from where she came in contact with the current, and we've been able to cease the muscle spasms. We have her sedated to numb the pain, and she could wake up in the next four to eight hours. Believe me when I say that she's a very lucky woman."

Emily lets out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding and a small smile flits across her features. "Thank you doctor. Um…can I see her?"

"Of course, I'll take you to her room."

"Thank you, but can you give me a minute?"

The doctor nods and steps off to the decide before Emily turns back to Olivia and surprises the detective by enveloping her into a surprise hug. "Thank you. You saved her life."

Olivia pulls away and stuffs her hands in her pockets. "I couldn't let her die…I just, did what I knew I had to. I couldn't let you lose her." she replies sadly, averting her eyes to the floor as she thinks about Amanda.

Emily smiles and gently places her hand on the shorter woman's shoulder. "Hey, don't worry, we'll find her."

**That Night **

"Rena honey, you should really get some sleep…" Alex says softly as she takes a seat on her sofa next to her best friend. She can't say that she understands what Serena is going through but she knows that she's in pain and she needs someone there for her.

Serena simply shakes her head and wraps her arms around herself in a self protective embrace. "I can't sleep Ali…I'll have nightmares again. I have nightmares about what he could be doing to Abbie, and I just, I don't want to close my eyes to that. What if I never see her again?"

"Hey, don't think like that." Alex says frowning. "Everyone is doing everything that they can to find her and Amanda, you just have to stay positive. Abbie's a strong woman, and you and I both know that she would be damned if she let something happen to her knowing that she'd be leaving you behind."

"She wouldn't just be leaving me behind." Serena mumbles quietly, placing her hand on her stomach. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow…"

Alex nods her head and tucks her legs under herself on the couch. "I know sweetie, you told me, I'm going with you remember?"

"Abbie and I were supposed to find out what the baby is. I wish that she were here, so I could see her face when we find out…she really wants a boy you know."

"Yeah, that sounds like Abbie." The elder blonde says chuckling. "Are you feeling alright? Are you having any kinds of problems?"

Serena shakes her head and continues to protective lay her hand on her stomach. "No, no, I feel fine. I'm just, really tired, but that's normal. It's just going to work and everything now, it's just starting to wear me out."

"I understand. Having a baby must be hard." Alex says sadly as she stares at her hands.

Serena tilts her head and places her hands on her best friend's. "You wring your hands when you're thinking hard about something. What's up?"

Alex shakes her head and chuckles nervously at the question. "Nothing, I'm just worried about Casey and I…that's all."

"Why, is something wrong? Wait…is this about that ex of hers?"

"Yeah. I'm not trying to be jealous, I just…I don't feel comfortable with her around Casey like this, especially if she's still in love with her."

"Do you think that Casey still has feelings for her?"

Alex pauses as she lingers on the question for a long moment before she settles on shaking her head. "I don't know…I mean, I know that she loves me and everything, but I honestly don't know if she still has feelings for her ex or not. She says that she doesn't and I want to believe her but I just, it's hard Rena…"

"Have the two of you talked about this?" Serena asks curiously.

"Yeah, we have, and Casey just thinks I'm being jealous. I don't think she fully understands my feelings about this. I'm not like this just because I feel like being a bitch. It's hard for her to realize that my feelings are actually hurt, and I'm not just being a possessive teenager…"

There is a silence between the two friends before Serena reaches over and places her hand atop of Alex's once again. "I'm sure that things will work out with you two for the better, they always do right?"

Alex sighs heavily and sadly nods her head. "That's what I keep telling myself…"

**What do you guys think? Is Alex just being ridiculous and overreacting? Or does she have a very justifiable reason for feeling the way she does? Leave your thoughts!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Okay, so I'm not gonna lie here guys…I think that some of you might cry on this one. You might cry, some of you might scream, some of you might trash your electronic device that you're reading this on, I don't even know. Just, prepare yourselves. Enjoy.**

Vince twiddles his thumbs nervously and he jumps about thirty feet in the air from his chair when the door to the interrogation room bursts open with such force that it makes a loud bang against the wall. Moments later, he sees a fuming detective step through the door and slam it behind her.

"You lied." Olivia hisses through grit teeth, her eyes flaring in anger. "You lied about the address, and then your friends lied about the other. What the fuck are you hiding?"

"I-I had to lie…" the guard stutters out, shrinking further down into his seat. "He'd kill me if I told you where they are, and I just, I can't."

"You're in there, he's out there, he can't get to you. Tell me where the fuck he's keeping them."

"I can't Detective, if you only understood…"

"What I _understand_, is that you almost got a federal agent killed. I'm sick of theses games, you need to tell me where the hell he's keeping them."

Vince sighs and shakes his head, looking down at the table once more. "If I tell you, he'll find out, and he'll kill them as soon as I tell you, please understand. I owed him…he was going to kill my sister, I couldn't let him, so I told him I'd do whatever he wanted. I can't give you any kind of information and neither can the others. I'm sorry."

Olivia growls in frustration and hits the table once more. She drags her hands violently through her hair as she begins to frantically pace the interrogation room. If she weren't in her right state of mind, she's sure that she would shoot this man, as well as the others in the other two rooms. But she knows that if she does that, she won't be any closer to finding Amanda and Abbie.

"I wish that I could tell you more but I can't."

"No, you can, you just choose not to."

"What I am _trying_ to do, is keep them alive."

"And what you are _succeeding_ to do is piss me off even further. I don't have time for games, and if that's all you're going to play, I don't have time for you."

**Unknown **

Abbie pushes herself farther into the corner and risks looking up from where she had her head buried on her arms. She just can't stand watching him do whatever it is he wants to Amanda, and the detective's screams in pain aren't helping. It also doesn't help that he has her chained to a wall, and there is absolutely nothing he can do about it.

She wants to say something, anything, but as much as she hates to admit it, she's scared, terrified even and not just only for Amanda's life, but for her own as well. The very last thing that she wants is for his attention to suddenly turn on her. She feels shameful for thinking such selfish thoughts, but she can't help it.

Drawing her knees closer to herself, Abbie can't help but flinch when she sees him throw Amanda roughly against the wall and the sound makes a sickening noise that echoes all through out the cellar.

Amanda sees stars as she feels her head connect sharply with the stone wall and she slumps down to the floor. Moments later, she feels a sharp kick to her stomach, that makes her want to throw up.

"Stupid bitch, you need to learn how to do things right when I tell you to, understand?" he curses darkly before kicking her once more.

Amanda is positive that at least a few of her ribs are broken from his brutal onslaught and all she can do is utter streams of apologies to try to get him to stop. When she was training to become a cop, it prepared her for a lot of things, but she's almost positive that she wasn't prepared for this. Pretty soon, she hears him cursing and the familiar spam of the door above them, leaving her trembling and sobbing uncontrollably against the wall.

Abbie feels like she's going to be sick from what she's just seen, and she actually has to swallow several times to keep from vomiting. Having been released from her restraint, she slowly inches her way across the floor and gently pulls the mangled blonde into her arms.

Amanda cries uncontrollably, clutching on tightly to the fabric of Abbie's jacket, pretending that it's Olivia holding her. She's positive that's the only thing that's gotten her through all of the hell that she's been through. She curls into the taller woman, feeling ashamed at being made so vulnerable and weak, if anything, she feels like she's supposed to be the strong one in the scenario.

"I'm sorry. I'm, so, so sorry." She cries, involuntarily tightening her hold, seeking the comfort she needs.

Abbie shushes her and continues to rub soothing circles on her back in a sisterly manner. "You don't have to be sorry, it's okay to cry." She says softly. She knows that as a detective, Amanda feels obligated to be in control and the strong one in a situation, but right now that isn't the case. Abbie knows for a fact that right now, she, her self, has to strong, for the both of them.

**Hospital **

Emily is so lost in thought that she doesn't notice the stirring in the hospital bed until she feels shaky fingers gently interlace with her own. She looks up and smiles when she sees a pair of tired blue eyes staring back at her. "Hey. You're awake."

"More like I'm alive." JJ replies huskily, wincing from the small twang of pain she got in her throat from speaking. "How long was I out?"

"Since yesterday, how are you feeling?" the older woman asks as she softly combs her fingers through her lover's hair.

"Like I've been plugged into an electrical outlet; other than that, I feel great." the blonde answers with a small sense of dry humor. "You don't have to be here you know, I know how much you hate hospitals."

Emily musters a smile and gently runs her fingers over the back of JJ's good hand. "No, I need to be here for you. I'm not going to abandon you here in a hospital. I love you."

JJ's smile falters a bit at the declaration. She knows that she loves Emily, it's just the fact that her heart feels like it wants another; someone that she knows that she shouldn't and cannot have.

"I love you too." She whispers, suddenly becoming well aware of the tears that are forming in her eyes. She blinks rapidly, and mentally curses when one of them makes it past her emotional barrier and makes the shameful decent down her cheek.

"Jayje? What's wrong?" Emily asks, her voice full of worry and concern. "Why are you crying?"

JJ shakes her head and plasters a shaky smile across her face. "It's nothing, I just have a lot on my mind right now, that's all."

"Do you want to talk about it? You know I'm here for you."

"No, no, I…it's fine."

Emily makes a face and casts her gaze sadly down to her wringing hands. "Is it about Casey?" she asks quietly.

JJ's jaw tenses and she looks over to the other side of the room, giving a terse shake of her head rather than a response.

"Do you love her?"

Once again, there was no response. JJ bites down on her lower lip, and screws her eyes shut tightly. "Can you go get a doctor please?"

"Jennifer I think that we need to at least-"

"Doctor….please?"

The dark haired woman sighs heavily before she stands up from her chair and exits the room, leaving behind a very conflicted and torn lover.

**Alex Cabot's Apartment; Twelve Noon **

"So…how was going to the doctor with Serena?" Casey asks shrugging off her hoodie. "Was it everything that you hoped it'd be?"

Alex shrugs and absentmindedly continues to busy herself with things around her apartment. "She's having a girl, so I guess she is excited as she can be right now."

"A girl? Whoa, that's amazing. I'm happy for her. So…did you have any plans for the rest of your day? I was thinking that maybe we could do something. We haven't really done anything together in a while." Casey suggests hopefully.

Alex pauses her tidying and shakes her head after a long moment. "I don't know…I'm not really in the mood to do anything."

Casey's smile falters but she simply shrugs it off. "Oh…well, we could stay in then. Maybe watch a movie and snuggle?"

The blonde shakes her head again and movies across the living room to where she stares blankly out one of her many large windows. She involuntarily goes rigid when she feels a pair of arms wrap around her waist, but she doesn't say anything."

"Babe, what's wrong?" Casey asks worriedly, resting her chin on her girlfriend's shoulder. "You've been quiet since I got here."

Alex sighs and pulls out of her lover's embrace. "Casey, we need to talk. I don't know if I can do this."

Casey's eyes widen in alarm and she tilts her head to the side in confusion. "Don't know if you can do what?"

"This…us…right now. I'm not…happy. It's not anything that you're doing, it's more of…what I'm doing, or better yet, what I'm not doing."

"Alex, sweetheart, you're not making any sense. What are you saying?"

Alex closes her eyes and exhales drastically, making motions with her hands. "I don't know what I'm saying Casey, I just…I'm not happy right now! I'm not happy with you, I'm not happy with myself, I'm just not happy."

Casey blinks in confusion and moves forward to wrap her arms around the distraught woman only to have her step away. "Okay, then talk to me, let's talk about why you're not happy."

"I can't. I mean, I try, but I just can't seem to put it into words where I know you'll understand me. I want to talk to you, but I feel like I can't. Damnit I don't know how I want to say this. I think that we should take a break."

In that moment Casey feels her entire world shatter around her and she didn't even have a chance to prepare for what was thrust upon her. "W-what do you mean?" is all she can manage to say through quivering lips.

Alex sighs again and wraps her arms around herself. "I think we should take a break…from us…"

"Are you…breaking up with me? Alex don't, I-I'm sorry. Whatever I did, I can fix it, just please let me try." Casey begs, fighting the tears that are now threatening to fall.

"In a way…I just don't…it's just not working right now. I don't want to sound cliché with the proverbial 'it's not you, it's me' but that's what's going on." Alex pauses and takes a very shaky deep breath. "I just can't be with you right now. I need some time to myself. I'm sorry."

Casey feels like someone has literally just stabbed her in the chest, and she feels her throat tighten as she struggles to get out coherent words. "I-I…are you sure that we can't talk about this? I don't know what I did wrong, but I can fix it, I promise I will."

"It's not anything that you can single handedly fix. Casey please understand that I need this for me. I need time, and space…without you…"

"Oh…" the redhead murmurs, her shoulders slumping in wounded defeat. "I guess I'll just, go then…"

"I think that's best." Alex murmurs, staring intently into her carpeting.

Casey nods her head and puts back on her jacket before stuffing her hands in her pockets. She treks her way back towards the front door and risks a glance back at Alex who still hasn't moved from staring at the spot on the floor. With a small sigh, Casey leaves, with out another word.

Alex closes her eyes as a few tears fall from her eyes. She knew when she was thinking about this that it was going to be painful. She knew going in to it, that it was going to hurt both of them, but she needed to do it. It is for the better.

**I would've updated sooner, but I had a date, so that kinda got in the way of me posting this. About what just happened up there, sorry about that…I can promise a happy ending for their relationship though! Just, getting to that happy ending is gonna be a challenge. Anyhow, leave a review? **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry…again…dates tend to last longer than predicted at times. Jeez this is turning out a lot longer than I thought it would be. Anyway, this chapter is the pure definition of heartbreaking to me. I don't know why, it just is. Anyway, here it is, and happy readings. **

The drive back to her apartment was all a complete blur for Casey. She barely remembers getting in her car, she barely remembers making the drive, and she barely remembers even getting to her front door, and she barely remembers walking into her apartment until she nearly trips over one of her discarded heels in the foyer.

Sighing heavily, she bypasses even changing out of her clothes before she collapses onto her bed and pulls the covers over her head. Everything seems so quiet, and it's as if her heart is pounding like an overused bass drum that sends vibration all through out the house. She feels completely dumb, and finding it utterly difficult to keep a tight grip on reality. Unable to bring herself do to do anything else, she closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep.

It isn't until Casey wakes up several hours later and glances outside her bedroom windows that she realizes how long she's slept. The sun looks as if it has just set, and the spattering of stars can be faintly seen despite the reflection of the city lights.

Getting out of bed, Casey treks her way to the living room and flops on the couch where reality begins to fully set it; Alex broke up with her. Alex broke up with her earlier, and she wasn't prepared for any of it, not even in the slightest.

Her tears begin to fall without her permission, and she finds herself curling into the comfort of her sofa, wonder what it is she did wrong. Was she just not there enough? Did she not listen? Was Alex feeling neglected, and if so, why didn't she say anything sooner? The questions are endless.

"God, I'm such an idiot." Casey murmurs as she buries her head in her hands. "What did I do!"

She stares at her cell phone for the longest of times before reaches across the coffee table and picks it up. She stares at the device for a moment longer before she dials the number that she's recognized by heart. The phone rings several times before the all to familiar voicemail picks up, but Casey hangs up before it asked for a message.

Casey stands up from her sanctuary of her sofa, and vibrantly paces her living room for about fifteen minutes before she calls again, only to receive the same result. Even fifteen minutes later, Alex still doesn't pick up the phone, but Casey decides to leave a message this time.

"Hey, it's uh…me, but I'm sure that you already knew that. Listen Alex, Baby, I'm sorry for whatever it is that I did, I just, I think that we can work it out if we talk about it. I love you, and I don't want to see you hurting, and I'm sorry if I just haven't noticed. Can you just, call me? So we can talk? I love you."

**Alex Cabot's Apartment**

Alex stares at the phone vibrating on her coffee table for the third time that night. She wants to answer it, but in the end, she decides against it and just lets it ring. She's actually surprised that after it rings for the third time, she receives a voicemail notification. Frowning, she picks up the phone and puts the message on speaker.

_"Hey, it's uh…me, but I'm sure that you already knew that. Listen Alex, Baby, I'm sorry for whatever it is that I did, I just, I think that we can work it out if we talk about it. I love you, and I don't want to see you hurting, and I'm sorry if I just haven't noticed. Can you just, call me? So we can talk? I love you."_

Alex sighs upon hearing Casey's voice in the voice message. She wouldn't say that she's surprised that it sounds like the redhead has been crying, hell, she herself has almost cried in the past few hours of their break up. But she knows that it would be completely pointless for her to cry, she doesn't have a reason to.

It's actually pretty tempting to her to want to pick up the phone and return the call, but once again, she decides against it. Minutes later, her phone vibrates against, and she sees that she's received a text message.

_'Can we just talk this out? Xx Case' _

Shaking her head, Alex puts her phone back on the coffee table and folds her arms tightly. It's best that they don't speak to each other right now, she needs the time and the space. It's just what's best for them.

**Later **

Olivia has just wandered into the bar and ordered her usual drink when she notices the familiar redhead slumping down into the booth in the far corner. She takes her drink from the bartender and makes her way across the room where she stands beside the table, attempting to gain the attorney's attention. "This seat taken, Counselor?"

Casey shrugs and continues to swirl her drink, watching the ice clink from one side of the glass to the other. Staring at it a little more, she then quickly downs the liquid, slightly wincing at the small tingle it leaves on it's journey down her throat. "What're you doing her Liv…" she mumbles, sounding a little more than disinterested.

"I was actually about to ask you that same question." The detective responds before sighing. "Cragen ordered me to go home, said something about working myself to death. I didn't really feel like going home, and I really needed a drink, so here I am. What about you?"

"Wallowing in my own self pity, and resenting the pitiful feeling of being single…" Casey murmurs, slumping down further into the booth.

Olivia's eyes widen briefly and she sits up in alarm at Casey statement. "What do you mean?"

"Alex broke up with me…"

"Oh my god, wow….what happened?"

Casey sighs and shifts in her seat before settling on slumping down once more. "She says that she's not happy with me, or our relationship, and she wants some time by herself. So she broke up with me."

There is a silence before Olivia feels like that it's safe to speak again. "I'm so sorry…are you okay?" she asks softly, taking note of the tears glistening behind the attorney's eyes.

"Yes." Casey responds quickly only for her voice to crack. "No, god no…I-I love her so much, and I just don't know what it is I did. You should have seen her face Liv, oh god, it's like she couldn't even look at me."

"Case, it'll be alright."

"No it won't Olivia! I already knew that she's too good for me, and I don't deserve her, and now I've fucked something up and I don't even know what I did! What kind of girlfriend does that make me? If she's upset, and I can't tell? How am I supposed to tell her that I love her, but at the same time, I can't even understand her feelings? My relationship has apparently been falling apart, and I haven't even been doing a damn thing to stop it."

"You can't blame everything on yourself. I'm sure that Alex has her reasons for wanting some space." The detective explains gently. "Come to think of it, do you think any of this is about your ex?"

Casey sighs and runs her hand through her hair, signaling to the bartender for another drink. "I don't know…it might be. God, what if it is? I don't understand why though, Alex knows that I'm only devoted to her despite what anyone else feels for me."

"What do you mean 'despite what anyone else feels for you?"

Casey pauses and awkwardly glances down at her new drink. "Emily, came by the office not to long ago and told me that she thinks Jennifer is still in love with me. I have yet to seen this to be proven true, but maybe Alex heard her tell me, I don't even know Liv. And what does it matter? JJ and I were over years ago."

"Hey, what happened with you guys anyway?" Olivia quips curiously. "I don't think you ever told me."

At this, Casey falls silent for a long moment before she takes a shaky deep breath. "She asked me to marry her…and I said no. At the time, I was going to law school, and she was going to the academy, and it just would've worked. Plus, I was scared of commitment at the time. I was still young, and I wanted to explore more, and I guess It was just too soon."

"That's understandable, if you weren't ready. That must've been painful though."

"It was…I-I broke her heart, and I'm sure that she hasn't ever gotten over that. I mean, she has Emily not I get that, but when we were together, it was our first time being in love. How is she doing by the way?"

Olivia shrugs and takes a long gulp of her beer. "She was doing great last I checked in, she was talking and everything, so I suppose that's a good thing. Prentiss didn't seem to happy about something when we were on the phone, but I kind of dismissed it as something she wouldn't talk about."

"Maybe I'll go see her sometime tomorrow…" Casey murmurs absentmindedly. "JJ I mean, somehow I feel like Emily could careless for speaking with me. I don't know, whatever. I need something to take my mind off of whatever this is. If not, I'm just going to end up crying in my apartment for the next decade…"

"I'm sorry, if there's something that I can do, let me know…"

"Somehow, if you can't rewind the last three months of my relationship, you can't exactly help me."

**Meanwhile…**

"So let me get this straight, you broke up with her, for no apparent reason? What the hell is wrong with you?" Serena exclaims, wanting to do nothing more to stretch her hand across the console and smack Alex across the face, if she wasn't driving that is.

Alex sighs and clenches the steering wheel tighter, feeling the muscles in her hands tense. "I had a very good reason for why I broke up with her Serena. I can't be with her right now because I'm not feeling all that comfortable in a relationship with her right now."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean 'why not'!? I want some time to myself Serena, I want time to think, to relax, to reevaluate my personal life. I cannot do that with Casey constantly being there. I'm not saying that I don't love her, but I just need some time with out her to figure myself out."

Serena sighs exasperatedly and shifts in her seat. "And pray tell, what is it that you need to figure out."

"I need to figure out why I haven't been happy with her." Alex begins, seeing the younger blonde about to interrupt but she cuts her off. "It's not even about her ex girlfriend randomly showing up in her life again, that's just what helped bring this out. She was distant with me for I don't know how many months before, and then we got this case, it just seemed to worsen. Then suddenly, she decides that she wants everything to be back to normal, and I'm supposed to be okay with that? After months of her pushing me away, and being completely distant, I am supposed to be okay with it when she decides that she's ready for things to be back the way they are?"

"Then why didn't you tell her that?"

"Serena, you and I both know fairly well how Casey is when it comes to emotions, and talking about them. She just doesn't understand. She thinks emotions are overrated; she won't listen simply because it's hard for her to listen. You know what happened not to long ago? I was trying to get her to talk to me and she flat out told me to shut up."

Serena frowns and shakes her head, gazing out the window at the passing city lights. "That doesn't sound like Casey. I still think that you overreacted by breaking up with her. You two are great together. I'm sure if you just talked and told her how you were feel-"

"How many times are you going to tell me that all I have to do is 'talk'!? I'll talk to her when I'm ready, which is not now, and I wish she'd understand that as well! Do you know how many times she's called my phone?!" Alex exclaims loudly. Almost as if on cue her phone starts ringing and she growls in frustration. "Twelve…." She grumbles hitting 'ignore' on her screen.

"I must say, that you're logic, is flawed Alexandra." Serena says seriously, knowing just how under Alex's skin she's getting by using her full name. "You're very vain you know that?"

"My vanity has absolutely nothing to do with this Serena, and you know it." Alex shoots back spitefully.

Serena shakes her head and squeezes her eyes shut. "No, I don't. And I feel like neither you do. You know what I think? I think this entire thing is you being insecure about Casey's ex girlfriend being here. You've never like to share Alex. God, even when I was five and you were seven, you wouldn't share any of your toys, simply because you said they were yours and I couldn't play with you. You're jealous, and you hate to admit it, because quote unquote yourself 'you are a Cabot, and Cabots do not get jealous' newsflash Alex, they do, because you are. What you don't realize is by letting her go, you just pushed Casey back towards that woman you're feeling so insecure about."

"You obviously have not been listening to anything that I have been saying. You don't understand."

"No, you don't understand. You're vanity, jealous, and even your arrogance completely downgrade your redeeming qualities. Frankly, you're being completely selfish. You've given up on a good woman, when the love of my life and the mother of my child is out there in god knows where having god knows what done to her. Have you seen Olivia?! She looks like she hasn't eaten in months when in reality it's only been days since Amanda went missing. With this whole thing, did you ever once consider how it would affect Casey? About what it would do to her? You just have no idea how much she loves you. I just don't understand how Casey was able to stay with you for that long when it seems like all you've done is take her for granted."

Alex slams her foot on the brake and her tires screech loudly as they grind to a halt. She quickly unbuckles her seatbelt and gets out of the car, leaving the keys in the ignition. "Drive yourself home tonight; I'll get there when I get there."

Serena rolls her eyes at how melodramatic her best friend tends to be at times; and she feels like this is definitely one of those times. "Alex, where the hell do you think you're going." She shouts towards the blonde who is quickly walking the other direction.

"Don't worry about where I'm going. You just go home." Alex shouts back, continuing her quick pace.

Serena sighs before she climbs into the drivers seat before she does a quick u-turn in the middle of the street and quickly catches up to her angry best friend. "Alex get in the car…"

"Go home Serena. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Ali, you're going to freeze out here. Just get in the car, we won't talk about it anymore…"

Alex hesitates for a long moment before she gets in the passenger seat, and folds her arms tightly in a defensive manner. She stares straight forward out the windshield and waits patiently for Serena to start driving. She knows what she's doing, and she hates it when anyone wants to tell her otherwise.

**Later **

Olivia shoves her hands deeper into her jacket pockets as she meanders her way back to her apartment. She sighs heavily, and watches as her breath comes out in frozen puffs of smoke in the crisp night air. She's probably about four blocks away from her building when she feels her cell phone vibrating from her pocket.

Praying that it isn't anything horrible or work related, she digs the phone out of her pocket and takes a glance at it, only to find the ID showing up as a restricted number. She stares at it as it continues to vibrate, contemplating on whether or not she should answer, before she makes the spontaneous decision to pick it up. "Benson…" she snips into the receiver, frowning when no one answers. "…hello?"

"Ah, Detective Benson, I'm surprised you've answered my call right away." a low sultry voice drawls from the other end.

"Who is this?" the brunette asks curiously, her detective skills beginning to kick in. "How did you get this number?"

The man laughs before it dies down to a low chuckle. "Trust me, your phone number isn't the only thing of yours that I possess."

"What are you…"

"Liv?"

Olivia's eyes widen and her eyebrows disappear into her hairline. "Amanda? Oh my god baby, where are you?"

"I-I don't know…I'm scared Liv. I need you."

"I know, and I'm doing everything that I can to find you okay? I'm gonna find you, I promise. Hey, I love you, remember that."

"I love you too…" Amanda whimpers before the phone is snatched away and she's shoved roughly against a wall. She lets out a small squeal from the pain, and the sound makes Olivia's heart clench.

"Listen at the both of you…pathetic." The man returns, a taunting venom in his voice.

Olivia fights the tears that prick her eyes and she roughly drags her hand through her hair. "Listen, you sick son of a bitch, you tell me where the fuck you are. Where is the other woman you're keeping?"

"Oh don't worry, our lovely ADA is doing just fine, I promise. I'll tend to her as soon as I'm through with that hot blonde of yours. I'm really enjoying her you know."

His words make her stomach turn, and Olivia is positive that he's enjoying every moment of it. "Don't you dare touch her! I'm going to find out where the fuck you are, and when I do, I swear I'll kill you."

"Oh, I'm so terrified. Tell me Detective, don't you think that you're threats are a little empty? You don't know where I am, and you can't find me. I'm sure that Agent Jareau is living proof of that. So, here's what I'll do, since I'm such a generous man, I'll cut you a deal. Give you something that you want, in exchange for something that I want."

Olivia closes her eyes and leans against a wall for support. She drags her fingers through her hair again, and swallows the thick lump in her throat.

"What do you want….."

**Jeez, I feel like that right there is equivalent to making a deal with the devil. And is Alex still being ridiculous and irrational? **

**Also, a couple of people have said that because of this story, it'd be interesting if I write a story with some sort of Love triangle between our two favorite ADA's and the lovely Agent Jareau as the main plot of the story. I've thought about it, but I wasn't sure how any of you guys would feel about it, so, here is me asking for an opinion on that. But don't forget to leave some feedback for this story! **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Mmmmm this chapter….this chapter says so much. Lol, hope you guys enjoy. **

**Hospital; Twelve Noon **

Emily briefly left JJ's room to return a phone call, and on her way back she runs into, Casey, probably one of the last people she thought she would see, but then again, she knows she should have expected it. She would be lying if she said that it isn't a little weird to see the attorney dressed in casual clothing; sneakers, jeans, and a simple hoodie with her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.

"What're you doing here?" she asks curiously, adding on before Casey has a chance to open her mouth. "Not like that, I just meant…I'm surprised to see you, that's all."

Casey awkwardly shrugs her shoulders and puts her hands in the pockets of her hoodie. "I um…I heard about what happened. I'm sorry." she apologizes, hoping that she isn't becoming an inconvenience to the agent.

Emily shakes her head and briefly casts her eyes elsewhere. "No, no, it's fine. She's up and everything…if you want to go see her…"

"I…is that okay with you? I mean, I don-"

"Like I said before, it's fine. I really do need some fresh air anyway, I'll just go for a walk. She's in room 907." The agent says quickly before disappearing towards the elevators.

Casey swallows thickly before she meanders her way down the hall until she comes to room 907. She stands outside for the longest of times before she exhales and enters the room. Upon entering the room, she sees JJ murmuring to herself as she struggles to put on her jacket despite her injured hand.

"Here let me help." Casey says advancing into the room.

"Casey?" the blonde asks curiously upon seeing her new visitor. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, I wanted to come and see you. To see how you were." Casey responds smiling awkwardly as she helps the blonde into her jacket.

"You sure Alex would take it kindly to you being here…" JJ grumbles folding her arms and casting a glance at the tiled floors.

Casey hangs her head sadly, and slightly shuffles her feet from nerves. "Oh…Alex and I…aren't really seeing each other anymore." she says quietly, her own words taking a deep stab at her heart.

JJ's eyebrows raises and she opens and closes her mouth several times before forming a sentence. "I-wow…I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

"I-I will be. It's just so soon, that, I guess I'm just trying to accept it. But, enough about me, how are you?"

The agent shrugs and holds up her bandaged hand. "Besides almost dying and everything, I'm great." she mumbles dryly but with a tinge of humor in her tone that makes Casey smile.

"You always were sarcastic…" she mumbles, wincing when she realize she's said it out loud. The last thing that she wanted to do is to show up at the hospital and bring up stuff about their past relationship, at least, that's what she told herself.

JJ hears the comment and laughs nervously, shrugging her shoulders. "Yeah…I guess some things never change…"

There is a long awkward silence in the room, with neither woman having no idea what it is she wants to say to the other. So many things can be said, so many things NEED to be said, but neither of them knows where to start.

"Listen, Jen, I think there's something we should talk about." Casey says quietly, after that deadly silence.

JJ simply nods her head and looks anywhere else in the room, feeling like she can't make eye contact with the woman standing before to her. "If this is going to be about how you don't love me because you're devoted to Alex, I don't think I need to hear it, because I already know. I'm a profiler Casey; I can tell just by the way that you look at her that your heart belongs to her, probably in some ways that it never belonged to me. But despite that, it doesn't change these feelings that I have for you. I shouldn't feel these feelings because I know that they're just unrequited, and it just isn't fair to Emily, but I can't help it that they're there. If I could get rid of them, I would."

Casey takes a shaky deep breath and nods her head. "She came to my office one afternoon and asked me about what happened between us. She then told me that she believes that you're still in love with me. Why would she think that?"

Biting her lip, JJ looks away to the other side of the room once again and shakes her head. There's no way that she can tell Casey that that Emily knows because at night when they're making love, all Jennifer can imagine is her ex. How she has dreams about her at night and ends up moaning her name in her sleep. There are some things that just can't and do not need to be told.

Casey sighs and runs her fingers through her hair, not knowing what else it is that she can say. "Jenny I-…"

"You know, you're the only person that I let call me that?"

"That's, kind of expected, but Jen-"

"I suppose that it could be, I haven't heard it in years."

"Jennifer, really-"

"Have you noticed that I keep interrupting you, because I don't want to hear you say those words?"

Casey's mouth snaps shut and she nods her head in sudden understanding. She doesn't know what else it is that she can say, and even if she did, she's sure that she wouldn't know how to say it. Instead, she finds her body acting on it's own as she steps closer to the blonde in front of her, and gently places her hands on her hips.

"Casey, what are you doing?" JJ whispers as she becomes aware of how close they're getting, so close that she can feel Casey's breath commingling with her own. They stand like that, for a long moment, before Casey slowly closes the last bit of distance between them.

JJ doesn't respond to the kiss right away, but she soon finds herself leaning in, their body's pressed tightly together, as her good hand snakes up Casey's neck to tangle in her crimson hair while the other hand rests gently on her shoulder. The kiss is slow, passionate, familiar, yet JJ can't deny the tightness in her chest from knowing that this is wrong while Casey is completely oblivious to why she's doing this at all. In fact, the two are so engrossed in each other than they don't hear the click of the door opening.

"Oh my god! Um…I mean…."

The two women quickly break away from each other, both flushed from the kiss and at being caught. JJ awkwardly scratches her head and looks Garcia's direction, but not enough to make eye contact with the woman.

"I'm sorry, I just…" the tech analyst begins but trails off, not really knowing what it is she wants to say.

"No, it's fine…" Casey interrupts, moving around the woman towards the door. "I'll just…go…" she says quickly before exiting the room, leaving the two blondes in silence. Silence that is, until Garcia breaks it.

"Jayje…?" she whispers with saddened eyes, looking to her best friend for an explanation. "Jayje, what was that?"

JJ shakes her head and blinks her eyes rapidly. "N-nothing…it was nothing. It shouldn't have happened, and we aren't going to talk about it anymore." She says quickly, moving to pick up her bag.

"But, what about Em?" Penelope asks quietly.

"I'm not going to tell her about this Pen, and neither are you." JJ says flatly, before exiting the room with Garcia in tow.

The two make their way down the hall before they run into Emily who immediately senses that something's off. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," JJ cuts in quickly, stealing a quick glance towards Garcia and plastering a smile on her face. "Nothing's wrong. We should…get going."

**District Attorney's Office of Manhattan; 9:45 am **

Casey can't help the headache that's invaded her head by the time she's finally gotten settled in at work. She squeezes her eyes shut and groans as the throbbing continues as if tiny little people are in her head pounding away on whatever they can find. She sighs again and wants to smash the copier with the bat she keeps in her office as it slowly makes the copies that she needs.

"I swear, some of these interns I just want to put into boxes and shove them off the Empire State Building." Kim says exasperatedly as she enters the room.

"Tell me about it…" Casey mumbles in response as she places another sheet of paper on the copy machine. "It's like the more interns we get, the more shit goes wrong, you would think that it'd be the opposite."

She hears Kim begin talking about something work related, but she completely blanks out when she sees Alex stop Liz right outside the door to have a conversation of some sorts. For some reason, she can't help but feel like her girlfriend, -or more apparently, ex-girlfriend- looks even more stunning than she would on a regular basis. Her thoughts briefly go back to what happened with JJ the day before and she feels her hear break even further.

"Casey? Hey, Casey, you alright?" Kim asks curiously upon noticing the redhead has zoned out completely.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Casey murmurs in response, her eyes still locked on the woman just outside the door.

Kim follows her lingered gaze and her eyes narrow as she tries to figure out what's going on. She watches as Alex finishes her conversation with Liz and casts a dismissive look towards Casey before disappearing somewhere down the hall. "What's going on….wait, oh my god, are you two fighting?" she asks, her eyes widened in surprise. "Geez, what's that like?"

"We're not fighting, we just aren't dating either." Casey grumbles before she quickly exits the room to follow Alex down the hall. "Alex!"

Alex sighs to herself and rolls her eyes as she continues walking, not wanting to have any sort of conversation. Unfortunately, she knows that Casey has quickly caught up with her and she spins around tersely, her irritation evident on her face. "What?"

Casey winces at Alex's biting tone and feels discouraged under the icy gaze of the blonde. "I just, wanted to talk to you, that's all."

"No Casey, we are at work."

"Well that seems to be the only way we can talk seeing as you aren't answering your phone. What's your deal?"

Alex's eyes flare in anger once more. "My 'deal' is the fact that you have not taken me not answering my phone as a hint that I do not want to speak with you." she exclaims, probably a little louder than necessary.

"Oh believe me; I've gotten the hint, which is why I knew the only way that I would get your attention is to confront you personally. Why are you shoving me away?!" Casey asks, matching the blonde's voice in volume.

"I told you that I needed time!"

"And you have still yet to tell me what it is I've done!"

"We broke up _Cassandra_! WHY ARE YOU NOT LETTING THIS GO?!"

"Because I love you _Alexandra_!"

"CABOT, NOVAK!" Liz shouts, fighting through the small crowd that her ADAs have formed. "Is there a problem?!"

Blue eyes stare hard into green before Alex shakes her head tersely. "No, there's no problem." She says firmly before she pushes past people to make her way back to the solitude of her office.

"I suggest that the two of you keep your dirty laundry out of the office." Liz whispers in Casey's ear before she walks off.

Casey sighs and nods her head murmuring to herself a quick 'yes ma'am'.

**Unknown **

"Amanda, are you alright? You've been coughing like that for the past day now." Abbie says concernedly as she carefully watches the blonde.

Amanda nods her head though she continues to cough. "I-I'm fine." She wheezes miserably before settling back into silence. "It's just a small cough that's all."

"Small cough my ass, you sound like an eighty three year old smoker." Abbie deadpans, shaking her head. "You're sick."

"I'm fine Abbie, don't worry about it." the detective says curling up in her defensive manner once more. All she hopes is that someone will find them soon simply because she's not sure how much more she can take.

The door at the top of the stairs opens, and down storms their captor in a fit of anger and rage. Both women flinch and go stiff upon seeing the revolver clutched in his hand.

He paces back and forth angrily as the fact that Olivia refused his deal. All he needed her to do was to lead that arrogant blonde into his clutches, and if she refused, then simply kill her but no, the detective had refused. It was a fairly good deal, he thought so himself.

He thinks hard as he continues to pace vibrantly, before a sadistic smile spreads across his face as he stares at the two women.

"We're going to play a little game ladies, a game that I'm sure that your loved ones will love a lot more than I will."

**Hm…interesting, this guy like to play games doesn't he? And what about that kiss? Poor Garcia, I'd hate to be in her position. Leave some feedback!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: This chapter…all I have to say is…OMG. That is all. Leave a review? **

**District Attorney's Office of Manhattan, NY **

The day at work for Casey was irritatingly long, and all she wants to do now is go home and drink herself to sleep. She needs to feel numb, and that's the only way that she can think of achieving that feeling. She has just began to pack up her stuff when she hears a knock at her door. Glancing up, she's a little surprised to see Liz leaning against the doorframe, but then again, she isn't. "Listen, if this is what happened this morning outside the break room, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Liz shakes her head and steps into the office, closing the door behind her. "It is, but at the same time, it isn't. I'm not upset with you like I know that I should be. I came by to ask if everything was alright. I would have spoken to Alex but I've long since learned about speaking to her when she is in one of her moods."

Casey pauses what she's doing and for the first time in forever, she feels like that she can really confide in her boss. Normally, that would seem weird to her, but right now, it doesn't. She sighs and shakes her head as she goes back to stuffing her laptop in it's case. "I would try and lie, to tell you that everything is fine, but knowing you, you'd suspend me until I told you the truth. Alex broke up with me a few days ago, and now she's neglecting to even speak to me, let alone look at me."

"Oh…I'm so sorry, that must be…really hard for you right now." the DA says softly, her tone betraying that of what all of the ADAs have gotten used to during their work hours. "If you don't mind me asking…"

"I don't know why she dumped me Liz, she just did. She dumped me for some incomprehensible reason, and now I'm miserable. You know that ever since the day she broke up with me, I haven't slept for a full night, at all? I can't sleep, I can't eat, and it's pathetic, because it's all because of her. She has absolutely no idea what she does to me, and frankly, it's like she doesn't even care. Do you have any idea what it's like for me to get up everyday and realize that I've lost the most important thing in my life? It makes me not want to come to work Liz, my best friend is missing, the love of my life hates me, and I'm stuck here physically returning feelings to a woman that I shouldn't be leading on. I just don't know what else I can do. I have no idea why I'm telling you all of this…"

Liz shakes her head and rests her hand on Casey's shoulder, not particularly used to seeing the woman break down like she is. "Talk to her."

Casey rolls her eyes and snorts dismissively. "Yeah, like I haven't tried."

"No, I mean, make her talk to you. You have a key to her apartment, yes? Go over there, go over there and refuse to leave until she talks to you. Or…she calls the police." Liz concludes with a knowing smirk that makes the redhead chuckle.

"Some how, I feel like that isn't going to workout, but I think compared to everything else, it's worth a shot."

**Alex Cabot's Apartment; 8:16 pm **

Alex wipes the tears from her eyes as she sits on the couch, staring intently into her blank television set. She wants to sleep, but she knows she can't. The images of how she acted with Casey earlier at the office keep replaying in her mind, and it's making her feel horrible. She knows that there are several other ways that she could've dealt with the manner, but damnit, she just didn't know what else to do.

It isn't that she doesn't love Casey, in fact, it's quite the opposite. It's just that she wants some time to be alone, to be by herself only with her thoughts to keep her company. Well, she does have Serena, but she's sure that her best friend could careless about listening to her personal problems.

Sighing heavily, she leans back over the head of the couch, and seconds later, she freezes when she hears a key insert itself into her front door. But of course, Casey has a key. How she forgot that small little detail, she will never know. Sitting up pin straight on the couch, she watches as Casey appears in her living room only seconds later.

"You really do have a lot of nerve just walking in here like that." Alex says, her voice full of faux irritation. She knows that she has to keep on her brave face in order to keep from breaking down.

Casey folds her arms and shakes her head. "It seems that this is the only way that'll I'll get you to speak to me. If this is what I have to do, then so be it, I'll do it. But I'm not leaving here until we talk about this Alex."

"I told you, I need time, and space. What more do you want?"

"How about a real logical explanation? I'm not just going to let you break up with me for no apparent reason. I want an explanation on why you need time and space. Trust me, I'm more than happy to give it to you, because god knows all I want to do is make you happy, but I at least want an explanation as to why we're doing this."

Alex groans and buries her head in her hands at Casey's command. "Casey, I really don't know what to say, I've told you this. I want to spend some time alone. I need to think about us. Remember when we first got this case? How distant you were with me? That hurt Casey, you'd brush me off, you wouldn't speak to me, you would ignore me, you'd say things that were blatantly rude, and I tried so hard to get you to tell me what was wrong. You never did. You kept assuring me that there was nothing wrong, and then you'd just go back to your typical routine of brushing me off. There was only so much that I could do, and for the longest of times I had to question whether or not your still loved me. That was when I lay awake all night trying to figure out what it was I did to upset you, or what I could do to fix it. Now, I'm just supposed to be okay, because you've decided on your own, that everything is allowed to go back to normal? I have feelings too, Casey, and I hate it when you disregard them like that. Do you realize how hypocritical of it is for you to come here and be upset with me because I'm struggling to tell you what's going on, simply because I just can't put it into words? Saying that I just won't 'tell you what you did' where as for months I dealt with you and your emotional mood swings on a daily basis, getting nothing but your sarcasm when I asked you the very same question? How sometimes you were distinctively verbally abusive but I sat there and said nothing simply because I love you and I was so sure that you'd tell me whatever was going when you were ready?! You just don't get to turn that off Casey, it doesn't work like that. You don't get to do that and just decide one day 'oh hey, everything that I've said doesn't really matter anymore, I'll just pretend like nothing ever happened'. You just don't get to do that."

"Alex c'mon, give me a break." Casey says exasperatedly. "I was in a bad mood, you should've have taken me seriously."

"What else was I supposed to do, when it was a constant thing?! And did take you seriously and it hurt. Do you see what I'm saying? It's like my emotions don't even matter to you when they should. It's just not fair. That's why I want some time. I need some time to think about our relationship and where I stand in it, and frankly, I think that you should do the same. I don't want to continue to set myself up for neglect if that's how it's always going to be. Please, I just need time by myself, just for a little while."

Casey nods her head and runs her tongue across her teeth before coming up with what she wants to say. "I guess I can understand that. I don't have to like it, but I understand. But, just answer this one question? Does any of this have to do with Jennifer, at all?"

Alex hesitates for a moment before she gives some sort of weird gesture that is a cross between a head nod and a head shake. "To an extent. I've seen the way that she looks at you. And while I must shamefully admit, it does make me jealous, I'm not as bothered by it as I was before. It's just…I love you, okay? And I know you love me, but I think that a little distance can do some good for our relationship if we want this to continue to work."

Sighing once again, Casey shoves her hands in her pockets and kicks imaginary dirt on the floor. "I understand. Listen, I'm sorry about what happened at work, I should've been following you around like a lost puppy. You said you wanted space and I should've understood that."

"No, I should be the one to apologize. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It was my fault entirely, and I take responsibility…I'm sorry."

There is an awkward silence as neither woman knows what to say. They both look at each other, the floor, the rest of the living room, doing anything but holding a steady eye contact.

"I guess I should go." Casey says awkwardly as she places her key to the apartment on Alex's coffee table. She starts to leave but stops abruptly and turns back around to Alex. "Listen, even if we are, whatever we are right now, I still feel the need to be honest with you because I do still love you. I kissed Jennifer yesterday at the hospital. We both regret it, and it shouldn't have happened. To be honest, I don't really know why it did. I just thought, I'd tell you, so I wouldn't have to hide and, and that you wouldn't have to worry about me keeping it from you and being dishonest. I just thought you should know."

Alex nods her head and a small smile ghosts her lips. For some reason, she can't say that she's as upset as she probably should be. "Thank you for telling me.'

A smile flitters across Casey's face as she nods her head as well. "Yeah…anyway, I should get going. I-I'll see you at work."

"Bye Casey." The blonde says softly, letting out a breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding when she hears her front door close once again. She reopens her eyes and out of her peripheral vision, she can see a figure leaning over the railing on the second floor landing. "You were listening to all of that, weren't you."

Serena smirks and shrugs her shoulders. "Remember how Fin always says you can hear an ant piss on cotton in the next room? Well, I can hear an ant fart in the next country. Yeah, I was listening. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

Alex hesitates for a moment before she nods her head. "Yeah, it is. I think that it's best for our relationship."

"I just hope you're right. What are you gonna do until then? Are you gonna see other people?"

"No, of course not. I'll just, enjoy my 'me' time. You know, with the exception of you and little Alex Junior."

Serena raises her eyebrows and puts her hand on her stomach. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about…you're crazy, and delusional, and I don't know why I put up with you."

Alex smirks and saunters back over to her sofa, plopping down with a satisfied sigh. "Don't worry, Alex Junior will grow on you. I promise."

**1-6 Precinct Manhattan, NY; 10:00 pm**

"It doesn't matter! I was not going to kill an ADA just because this guy feels like fucking with my head. There was no way I was even going to entertain the thought. All I think I've done now is piss him off." Olivia groans, vibrantly pacing back and forth. "We have no leads to find this guy, and the only leads we DO have, aren't talking."

"Do you think that we could trace it if he called again?" Elliot asks raising his eyebrows.

"It was from a restricted number, I don't know how easy it would be to trace that." Munch murmurs absentmindedly.

"If you get him to call again, I might be able to trace it." Garcia pipes up, offering her technical abilities. "Well, that is, if you can keep him on long enough."

Olivia sighs and shakes her head. "I don't know when or if he'll even call again. What if, what if he's killed them all ready and he's just holding out on saying so because that's the kind of bastard he is? I don't know how much more I can take of this. It's like we're getting absolutely nowhere and he's leading us where he wants us to go. We just can't win."

In a strange twist of irony, Olivia's phone begins to vibrate on her desk. No one in the squad room moves, as they all stare at the vibrating object. Finally, after about five rings, Liv moves across the room and answers the phone, seeing that it's the same restricted number. "Hello?"

"Liv?"

"Casey? Why are you calling from a restricted number?"

"I wasn't, this number called me. I didn't even pick up the phone to-"

"Casey? Liv? What's going on?"

"Alex? What is this…"

"Good evening ladies." That same sickening calm sultry voice floats through all of their receivers. "I hope you all are enjoying this night as much as I am."

"Who the hell are you?" Casey asks, thoroughly confused on what's happening.

"Patience Counselor, you will find out all in good time I'm sure." He responds, chuckling darkly at the end of the sentence.

Olivia looks over to Garcia who seems to be typing something frantically on her computer, and she turns back to put the phone on speaker. "What do you want?"

"I want to play a game." He responds again, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "And you Detective Benson, as well as Miss Cabot and Miss Novak are going to be the players. You refuse to play, I kill them both, you comply, and we begin the game. Do we have a deal?"

"How do we know that you aren't lying?" Alex asks tersely, becoming agitated with the mysterious caller.

The man chuckles once more and it sends chills down their spines. "Because Miss Cabot, I am a man of my word. Now, do we have a deal?"

There is a long silence between the three women and neither of them want to answer. Finally after a long silence, Olivia speaks up for the group. "Fine, deal."

"Excellent, I'm glad you see it my way. I have a twelve chamber revolver, two women, and it's loaded with one bullet. They don't know where the bullet is, I don't know, and neither do you, just to make things fair. I'm going to ask the three of you a series of questions. For every right answer, I will move on to the next question, but for every wrong answer, I put the gun at someone's head, and pull the trigger. You won't know who I start with and I will alternate between these two women here, so choose your answers carefully. Is everything understood?"

Once again, he is greeted with a heavy, lingering silence. He can tell that the gears are turning in all of their minds, and he has them exactly where he wants them. It makes him chuckle menacingly again at once again having the upper hand.

"Good, then let the games begin."

**Good news and bad news guys. The good news is, I'm posting this super early, the bad news is, I'm going out of town, and I probably won't be able to update again until Monday. :( I KNOW, I know, it makes me sad too. However, I'm going to try my best, but I just wouldn't count on it. And I know that really sucks considering where I've left you guys in this story. Gah, I know I'm sad. Anyway, I'm sure that one day you will come to forgive me. Leave a review? **


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Stayed up super late trying to get this out for you guys and it finally happened. I'm not going to lie, I cried like a baby writing this chapter, and some of you might. I apologize in advance for everything.**

"What kind of questions are these going to be," Casey asks begrudgingly, not really comfortable with the lives of two of her friends being in her hands.

"Any kind of question that I can think of, the three of you just better come up with the right answer." He answers devilishly, causing all three of the women to mentally sigh. "Like I said before, I advise the three of you to choose your answers carefully. Two lives are at stake here."

"Just shut up, and ask the first question." Olivia demands, praying that Garcia is getting somewhere with the phone trace.

The man huffs on his end of the line and clicks his tongue in disgust. "Your impatience is starting to get on my nerves detective. They won't last long with you demanding things like this, I promise. But, I digress, I shall ask my first question, but I've got to warn you, my questions will get…personal. So, I'll start here, Miss Cabot, when, was the last time that you've had sexual contact with someone? And don't try to lie, because I promise that I know the answer, as should you."

There is silence during the phone call, and only feint whimpers can be heard in the back ground of someone's line as they all wait for Alex to answer the question.

"Alex, you have to answer him." Olivia says calmly as she takes note of just what kind of game this guy is playing. He wants to air out everyone's dirty laundry and then some. He wants them to reveal things that they never would have really talked about; why? Simply because he's a sick bastard who can.

There is a heavy, sigh before the question is answered. "The other night…" Alex murmurs shamefully. This is not exactly something that she would have cared to admit to a psychotic rapist that has her friends captive, especially while Casey is on the line.

"But…Alex, we haven't in…months." Casey says sadly, as her mind begins putting two and two together.

There is chuckling once again, and he continuous on with his sadistic game. "Does the name Nikki Kessler mean anything to you Miss Cabot? What was she? Prostitute? Stripper? You know, as a state worker you of all people should know that prostitution is illegal."

"She was neither. She was a waitress." Alex hisses through grit teeth wanting, no NEEDING him to move on.

"Oh trust me sweetie, waitresses in that bar are either one or the other, I promise. But, the truth hurts doesn't it? The good news is, I am well aware that you have answered my question truthfully, and I won't' have to pull the trigger, possibly putting one of your friends in danger."

"Garcia, how are you doing on that trace?" Rossi whispers quietly.

Penelope shakes her head as her fingers continue to fly over hey keyboard. "It's hard sir, because not only is he A calling from a restricted cell phone, but B I am struggling to trace him because something keeps interrupting the signal. I'm working as fast as I can."

"Next question; Detective Benson, in your conversation with one of your fellows officers, you stated that you believe one of the lovely ADAs cannot not do her job correctly, and frankly stated that you believe that she got her law degree from a cereal box. Who were you speaking _ever so_ fondly of?"

Olivia frowns and shakes her head in disapproval. "I don't remember talking to anyone about that." she says honestly.

"Tsk, is that your answer? Because I'm afraid it's the wrong one." He clicks his tongue again, before there is the clear clicking sound of the gun releasing a blank round. "Hm…you're lucky; there could've been a bullet in that chamber. Now that would've been a real shame. Next question…"

**An Hour Later **

It seems like his game is endless, and it just keeps going on and on and on. Fortunately, they've gotten more right than wrong, but at the same time, the ones they HAVE gotten wrong has brought that bullet one chamber closer to ending someone's life, and to make matters worse, they don't know who. It's as if their loved ones' lives have literally been placed in the palm of their hands, and their decisions as parts and a whole could eventually decide who lives and who dies.

Garcia's face has been screwed up in intense concentration as she fights of decoys and other road blocks that are delaying her from tracking this guy's signal. Truth be told, all she wants to do is stand up and throw her computer against the wall, simply because he's doing what pisses her off most; he's leading her in circle and she just can't get a hold to the damn signal.

"God damn it! I've been at this for an hour…" she curses, knowing that everyone is expecting her to do what she usually does best. "I've been sitting her for an hour and they've been talking and I've been typing and I just haven't been able to find a-oh."

"Oh?" Derek asks as he, Reid, and Rossi, move to stand behind the analyst.

"Yes, oh, as in a kind of short of have somewhat of a location. All I am aware of is that he's calling from a house on Rockwall Avenue." She rattles off quickly.

"We'll head over that way, and we're going to beat on every single door if we have to. Stay on the line Garcia, we'll call you from the car." Hotch says quickly, as the team of agents and detectives, quickly exit the squad room.

"Is he still talking?" Emily asks Olivia as she settles into the front seat of the SUV, quickly tearing out of the parking lot when she receives a head nod.

"I'm getting quite bored with this, I must honestly say that I didn't expect any of you to get this many right. I was so sure that one of them would be dead by now." The man says chuckling once more.

"Yeah well, not everyone is a complete idiot, like you." Alex murmurs irritably, mentally exhausted from the tension from this 'game'.

"This is becoming pointless." Casey adds in with an aggravated sigh, her aggravation spiking when she hears him laughing once again. Honestly, in the past hour she's found out some things that she's sure she's never wanted to know, and vice versa. It's like there isn't an ending to this madness.

"Impatience, I see that is a trait in all of you. My next question, what is my name?"

All three of the women go considerably pale as they realize absolutely none of them know they answer. In fact, why would he even ask such in a thing when he knows very well that they don't know? Or maybe that's his point.

"Are the three of you deaf? What. Is. My. Name." he asks through grit teeth, the irritation evident in his voice for them not answering fast enough.

No one wants to answer for fear of getting it wrong, but soon they realize waiting was a deadly mistake when they hear the loud bang of the gun going off. Olivia swears loudly while Alex drops her phone and Casey throws hers across her bed room.

"Talk to me Garcia, where is he, we have shots fired." Emily asks quickly as they tear down the streets of New York at record breaking speeds.

"4759 Rockwall Avenue!" Garcia rattles off quickly, having finally been able to find a pinpoint location, but terrified that she's found it too late.

The drive to the house seems as if it's in slow motion for Olivia. Her hands are itching to burst through that door, and shoot anything and everything that gets in her way, but she knows that she can't just barge in there firing away at anything that moves.

Tires screech to a halt, and the detective barrels out of the SUV like a bat out of hell, determined to get her hands on the sick bastard inside that house. One of the agents kicks the door open and they advance into the house with their weapons drawn.

The anticipation is killing Olivia, yet at the same time, she's dreading whatever it is she's going to find down in that cellar.

"Liv, let me take the lead…" Elliot says softly, not wanting his partner to barge in there and shoot the guy as soon as she sees him. When he receives a nod in response, he kicks the door harshly, sending it flying off the hinges.

Reluctantly, the detectives advance down the stairs, followed by two of the federal agents. Upon reaching the bottom, the first thing that they notice is the man chuckling to himself in the center of the cellar. The first thing they notice is the trembling blonde in the far corner, and a great weight is lifted from Olivia's hear as she sees that her lover is alive.

"HANDS UP!" Elliot demands loudly, as the man slowly turns around. What they don't anticipate is the fully loaded Glock that he has pointed at Olivia's head. There is a sudden loud bang and the detective's stand stocks still from the sudden intrusion of sound. Seconds later, the man collapses dead on to the floor, with the unfired gun in his hand. Turning around, both the detectives are met with the sight of Emily shakily lowering her gun.

The dark haired agent sighs as re-holsters her weapon. "He was going to kill you…I had to…" she says quietly, not enjoying the fact that she had to shoot someone for probably the third time in her career.

Olivia then quickly advances over to the corner where she sees Amanda sobbing uncontrollably. She squats down and immediately envelopes the woman into her arms.

"It's okay, baby, I'm here…." she whispers softly. The moment however is quickly shattered when Elliot shouts her name from somewhere across the cellar, his voice full of panic and distress.

She quickly rushes over to the other side of the murky cellar, and her face immediately goes pale at what she sees. Abbie struggling to breathe in the farthest corner of the cellar, with her hand tightly clutching her chest, blood seeping through her fingers.

"Elliot, get Amanda out of here and tell one of the agents to call an ambulance." She says quickly, crouching down closer to her friend and placing her hand over the bullet wound. "It'll be okay Abbie, just stay with me, alright?"

"L-liv…" the attorney husks out breathlessly, "What….Serena…what's she having?"

"She's having a girl Abbs. You're having a daughter, and she's going to be the most beautiful thing in the world when you get too look down at her in your arms." Olivia says, fighting her tears.

Abbie blinks and her own tears fall from her eyes as she clutches the detective's hand tightly. "Take…take care of them for me okay? M-make sure…Rena knows I love her."

"No, no, Abigail, don't talk like you. You aren't going to give up on me like this. You're going to be the fighter that you are, and you're doing to pull through, I just need you to hand on a little longer."

"Liv…can't. Promise me, you'll take care of them…"

"Abbie, you can promise them yourself when you get up and walk out of that hospital."

"**Promise** me, Olivia…"

Olivia hesitates for a moment before she nods her head. "I promise…just hand on for me. For Serena and your daughter."

Abbie opens her mouth to speak again, but her body erupts into violent coughs that send a new wave of blood sputtering into her mouth. Her mouth feels completely numb, and her grasp on reality begins to slip away.

Olivia begins to panic when she feels the attorney's grip on her hand begin to slacken. "Abbie no, c'mon, don't do this…" she says, pausing when she doesn't receive a response. "Abigail, I know you hear me…damnit!"

A far off look takes over Abbie's eyes, and she lies motionless on the ground, her hand falling limp at her side, her body already having taken it's last breath.

Olivia hears the rustling of EMTs behind her, and she shakily gets to her feet as she lets them do their thing; though she's not sure that there's much that they can do. She staggers her way outside and is immediately enveloped by Amanda who begins crying on her shoulder. She places a kiss to the blonde's matted hair, and allows her own tears to fall.

"Liv, what about…what about Abbie?" Amanda asks shakily as she pulls away to look at her lover. A fresh wave of tears fall from her eyes as she sees the hurt and loss in Olivia's eyes, something that she'd never hoped she had to see.

**Alex Cabot's Apartment; 1:00 am **

Alex is startled out of her restless slumber on the couch by a small knocking at her door. She quickly runs her hand through her hair and makes her way over to the door, gasping when she sees a slightly blood soaked Olivia standing on the other side.

"Hey…can I come in…" the detective asks, her voice low and sorrowful.

Alex nods her head, and quickly steps aside, allowing the brunette to enter the apartment. She quickly redoes the locks and steps into the living room where she sees Olivia gazing hard at the carpeting. "Liv, what happened? Are they okay?"

"Listen…where's Serena?"

"She's sleeping…what's going on?"

Olivia hesitated again and takes in a shaky breath. "We got there not long after he fired. Abbie…she's gone Alex…" she says quietly before her voice cracks.

Alex puts her hand over her mouth and shakes her head in disbelief. "No, that's…oh my god…" she gasps out in shock.

"Alex? What's going on?" A sleepy Serena asks making her way down the stairs. "Olivia? What are you doing here? Why's your shirt like that?"

This is something that Olivia hates about her job, and she can say that she hates it even more that she has to do it to such a close friend. She stands still not knowing what else to say.

Frowning, Serena shakes her head in utter confusion. "Is Abbie okay? Did you find her?" she pauses upon seeing the sorrow etched across her friend's faces. "Why is no one answering me?"

"Serena I'm sorry…" the detective says quietly, casting her eyes towards the floor again.

Serena lets out a strangled squeak and puts her hand over her mouth while the other travels to her stomach. She feels lightheaded and Alex actually has to lurch forward to catch the woman. She tightly clutches her best friend's shirt as Alex slowly allows them to sink to the floor and she begins to cry uncontrollably.

_'This just can't be happening, it just can't.'_

**I know…that was really hard to read wasn't it? Especially towards the end there. At least it wasn't a cliffy. But, I do promise a little bit of Alex/Casey confession/reconciliation in the next chapter. If that's any consolation. Leave feed back?**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Extra long chapter for you guys since I made you wait so long. I hope you like it, well, as much as you can like it. This is the second to last chapter too so, this story is winding down. Happy readings!**

"I'm really sorry about your loss…" JJ says softly, having the opportunity to speak to Casey one last time before she's on a jet back to Quantico.

Casey nods sadly, and averts her eyes to the ground. It took everything in her, and then some to be able to get out of bed earlier that morning and drag herself to work. In fact, she isn't sure that she even got a lick of sleep the night before. "She was my best friend…" she mutters quietly, more so to herself than to the blonde in front of her, but she can feel those soft ocean blue eyes looking upon her with concern and she knows that she needs to recover quickly for the time being. "So…I guess this is goodbye."

JJ nods and chuckles nervously, feeling the tension between the two of them, though, she isn't sure what it is. "I would suppose so yes…"

There is another silence between the two of them before Casey speaks up again. "Listen, Jen, about that kiss…"

"It shouldn't have happened…" JJ cuts in already knowing where this is going. "I know. It was a mistake, and it shouldn't have happened. We were both just caught up in a moment I guess, and just neither of us were thinking at the time. Casey, I'm not a teenager anymore, and I'm sure this talk will really go along way. I'm not going to lie, I still have feelings for you, and being here in New York, around you, made those feelings resurface. But at the same time, I also know that we both need to go our separate ways, me in particular. We were young, in love, a little bit naïve, and everything just kind of took its toll. I guess what I really should be saying is that I'm sorry that me being here has probably messed up so much."

Casey shrugs again and shoves her hands deep in her coat pockets. She knows exactly what JJ is referring to, and that is something that she'd rather not think about; at least, not until she absolutely has to. "I think we were both at fault here…but you live and learn from your mistakes right? We can still sort of be friends after this…right?"

"That'd be great, yeah." The blonde concludes. She opens her mouth to say more, when she hears Garcia calling her over to one of the SUVs. "I have to go, it was…nice seeing you again."

"It was nice seeing you too." Casey says mustering a smile. The two contemplate hugging but settle against it and they maintain eye contact for a brief moment as JJ makes her way towards the SUVs.

Casey releases a shaky breath that she hadn't known she had been holding, long after the agents have disappeared from the precinct, probably to head back to the airstrip. She sighs once more, and drags her fingers through her hair. Proceeding to her car, she blinks away a fresh round of spontaneous tears. There is just too much going on right now, and she realizes that she has to do some serious damage control.

**District Attorney's Office of Manhattan; NY **

"Serena, you don't have to be here…you know that." Alex says softly, taking in the appearance of her trembling best friend sitting across from her desk. Truth be told, she didn't want to come in to work either, let alone convince Serena to stay home. But the younger blonde had insisted that she would be fine and that she resented the idea of staying home, despite how her face and posture states other wise.

"No, I need to be here Alex." Serena whispers, her voice horse and dry from crying all night. "I can't stay locked up where I can sit, and think about…I just can't Alex. I need to be out."

Alex nods her head but still looks upon Serena with saddened eyes. "I understand, just…if you want to go home, let me know okay?"

Giving a feint nod, Serena averts her eyes to her shaking hands. "I just…I can't believe she's gone Alex. I just can't. To think that she won't be coming home to me anymore, and she'll never meet our baby. God Alex, I can't even begin to imagine how her mother is going to treat me when she gets here. She-she doesn't even know I'm pregnant."

Alex's eyebrows shoot into her hairline, and her mouth falls slightly agape. "What do you mean she doesn't know that you're pregnant?"

"Abbie didn't have a…good relationship with her mom. Her mom thought she was _settling_ by being with me, and thought that she could do so much better. Long story short, her mom hates me. So, Abbie never told her that I'm pregnant. She said that her mother would flip out over the fact that we weren't married, and that she was having a baby with…me. You have no idea how much this woman hates me Alex, I just…I don't know how to take it when she sees me again. Now that I think about it, I already know what's going to happen. She's going to argue me down on why we should have the funeral in Texas. She's going to say that it's what Abbie would want, and that I'm just trying to ruin their family, and I just…god Alex, I can't do it."

"Hey, calm down okay? You're going through a lot right now, and I'm sure that she'll understand tha-"

"She won't understand anything Alex!" Serena nearly shouts, trying to refrain from becoming hysteric. "She hates me with every fiber of her being and then some, and the few times that I've seen her, she was not shy about it. She's always thought that I was never good enough. I was never good enough for her daughter, and she literally had no problem telling me that to my face."

Hating seeing her best friend so distraught, Alex hesitates for a long moment before she asks her next question. "So…what do you want to do?"

Serena sighs heavily, and shakes her head. "It's too soon to tell what I want, to be honest. I mean, in all honesty, I would want to bury her here but then I would probably be up against her mother and the rest of her family, who are all in Texas. Texas is just…so far…I don't mean to sound selfish but…"

"You're not being selfish sweetie. You loved Abbie, and she loved you. The least that her mother could do is respect that." Alex explains softly. "Just give it some time alright? I'm sure that you won't have to make a decision now."

Serena shakily nods before she rests her head in her hands. "This is just too much…what am I supposed to do now?"

Alex opens her mouth to respond, but catches something in her peripheral vision. Her eyes flicker to the doorway of her office, and her mouth snaps shut upon seeing Casey lingering in the doorway. Serena sees Alex's change in gaze and she turns around, realizing that she suddenly doesn't want to be around for this conversation, having heard what happened and everything.

"Um…I can come back." Casey says a quietly.

Serena glances back at Alex and shakes her head as she gets up from her chair. "No, it's fine, I need to go speak with Liz anyway. I'll see you later Ali." She says before she quickly leaves.

Alex tenses in her chair when she sees Casey glance after Serena briefly before she closes the door. This definitely isn't the time, or the place that she thought that this conversation would happen, but at the same time, she knew that she couldn't avoid it forever.

"You weren't going to tell me…where you?" Casey asks quietly, after a lengthy silence between the two of them.

Alex hears her heart hammering in her ears, and she casts her eyes down towards her desk in shame. Truth be told, she isn't sure whether or not she was going to tell Casey or not. Sleeping with that waitress was sort of a horrible drunken mistake that she would take back if she could, but she knows that telling Casey that wouldn't exactly help the situation.

"I…I don't know. I was drunk when it happened, and I regret it so much that I tried to pus it out of my head. I felt like I couldn't tell you because I was so ashamed that it happened." She explains quietly, still unable to initiate any kind of eye contact between the two of them.

Casey chews the inside of her cheek out of habit and folds her arms as she realizes that Alex isn't even looking at her. She would be lying if she said that this wasn't breaking her heart. The thought of Alex sleeping with another woman, regardless of what they are, is more than painful. In fact, she isn't sure how or what she should feel about this.

"It's okay to say if you weren't…even after I was honest with you and everything, I shouldn't be surprised that you didn't tell me." she continues on, her tone coming out colder than intended. She must admit, being upset about this, and the pain from losing her best friend is doing nothing for her mood.

Alex flinches at Casey's biting tone and shakes her head quickly. "I wasn't trying to hide this from you, I just…I didn't know how to tell you. What was I supposed to do, call you and tell you that I had drunk set with a waitress I met in a bar? I couldn't do it Casey, please understand that."

"Are you sure? Because I wouldn't put it past you to try and hide it. Is that why you wanted to break up? So you would be free to fuck who ever you wanted? Obviously you don't want to try and fix things like I thought you did. Do you even care about being with me anymore Alex?"

"I do! I just…things are hard, and confusing right now…" the blonde trails off sadly.

Casey purses her lips and shakes her head not knowing what else to do. "Then please…get your priorities straight. You have my number, call me when you're ready." She says before she exits the office, leaving Alex sitting stock still at her desk looking stunned.

**That Evening **

Serena stands in the middle of Abbie's office with a cardboard box, her hands continuing to shake from the sudden onslaught of nerves and stress. She realizes that Liz told her that it didn't have to be done today, but she had wanted to do it as soon as she could, just to help her move on with the pain.

A strangled sob escapes her lips and more tears make their way down her face as reality begins to sink in even further. It's almost as if it's completely unbelievable that this is happening, but at the same time, she knows that she can't stress herself out too much. It wouldn't be healthy for the baby.

"I told you that it didn't have to be done today…" Liz says softly, slightly startling the blonde who has become lost in her own thoughts.

Serena shrugs and places the box on the desk as she begins to take books off of one of the shelves. "Might as well…" she mumbles weakly in response.

"Would you like some help?" the DA asks after a small silence. She takes Serena's shrug as an 'okay' and she begins to help with the task. The silence in the room is heavy, and never once has she ever thought that she'd be helping to clean out Abbie Carmichael's office; especially not because of her death. "Listen Serena…like I told you, you're free to take off as much time as you need, and if you need anything at all, you can let me know."

Serena nods again and continues to neatly stack the books into the box. "Thank you Liz, that means a lot…" she responds, mustering a small smile. "What're you gonna do about another ADA?"

"We don't have to discuss work right now Serena."

"I asked because I'm curious, and it means that I'm okay with discussing work. What are you going to do?"

Liz sighs for a moment before she shakes her head. "You don't have to make your decision now, and you can take as much time as you need, but I want you to take the job as the EADA for this unit…"

Serena's eyes widen and she turns to Liz in utter shock. "But…all I've ever done is sit second chair. I've never…I…" she trails off, turning back to the box. What she had expected was for Liz to hire someone over her, not promote her in to doing what used to be Abbie's job.

"I know, I know, it's a lot to ask of you, especially right now. But please give it some thought? You're more than qualified to do this job. I understand if you decline my offer, but please consider it." the elder blonde explains sincerely.

Blinking back her shock, Serena jerkily nods her head. "I'll…I'll think about it. Would Kim still sit second chair?"

"Unless you say otherwise…"

"No, um…that's fine. I'll think about it. Thanks Liz."

**Later That Night **

Amanda sits huddled on the couch, staring blankly at the wall of her apartment. She ignores the slight pain in her ribs as she clutches her knees tightly against her, and she jumps in fear when she feels the sofa slightly dip next to her. Seeing that it's only Olivia, she turns her head back to staring intently at her wall.

"It's getting late. You should come to bed." The elder detective says softly, knowing but not knowing at the same time just how fragile her lover is. It's one thing when the victim is a stranger, but it's completely different when the victim is the woman that means the world to you.

Amanda doesn't respond but instead, clutches her knees tighter. She knows that she can't go to sleep, because every time she closes her eyes, even for a second, she's back in that basement. She's back in the basement with that horrible man who is going to have his way with her whenever he wants to.

Then there's Abbie; oh god, Abbie. Amanda can't help but feel like it is completely her fault that Abbie is dead. The attorney had been there for her even though they were both stranded in that dreaded hellhole. She had been like a protective sister, that would hold her after he left, would hold her while she cried and whisper reassuring things in her ear to try and calm her down. They were both supposed to make it out of there, and Amanda feels like she's failed in her job, and as a person. She wasn't supposed to be weak like she was, and because of that weakness, Abbie's gone.

Tears glisten behind Olivia's eyes as she watches the blonde continue to stair blankly at the wall. She can't even begin to imagine all of the thoughts that are possibly running through Amanda's head, and she can tell that they're literally eating her apart. She reaches out and softly places her hand on her loves arm, but quickly pulls back when Amanda flinches and scoots to the farthest corner of the sofa. Maybe it is far too soon for physical contact.

"She's gone, Liv. It's all my fault that she's gone. It should have been me…" the younger detective whispers quietly, so quiet that Olivia almost missed it. "How am I supposed to go to work, after I let something like this happen?"

"Mandy…it isn't your fault. That guy was sick, and he did things to you that…it just isn't your fault. I know that, Serena knows that, and I promise that Abbie knows that." Olivia responds truthfully, feeling that tug in her heart once more at having one of her best friends die right in front of her.

Shaking her head, Amanda ducks her head and begins to sob quietly. The horrors that she's been through aren't going to go away, and it makes it even worse that all her girlfriend can do is watch her crumble.

**House of Jennifer Jareau, Washington DC; 11:34 pm **

"Are you sure this is what you want?" JJ asks weakly, as she stares up at the brunette from her spot on the couch. She knew that this would come, but that still doesn't stop it from hurting, even though it really is entirely her fault.

Emily nods her head and adjusts the duffle bag in her hand. "I think it's best for the both of us. I can't stay here with you, when you're obviously still in love with someone else. I'll give you the time that you need and everything, but I can't do this. It's one thing when we try to talk this out, but you hid this from me, and I-…I can't be with someone that doesn't trust me enough."

JJ opens her mouth to respond, but soon finds her voice unable to form words. "I'm sorry…is there anything that I can do?"

"Figure things out. You need to figure out where your heart is, because right now, I can see that it's not with me. That's why I'm moving out for a while. You need your space to think, without me in the equation."

Sighing, the blonde agent nods her head, and sinks further down into the cushions of the sofa. "Where are you gonna go?" she asks quietly once more, her voice making her feel smaller than she already is.

Emily shrugs, and slings the bag over her shoulder. "I think I'll move back into my condo. There should be no problem with that. Are you going to be okay?"

JJ snorts humorlessly and wraps her arms around herself. "You're leaving me Emily, I highly doubt that I'll be 'alright'." she mumbles passively but sighs as she quickly recovers. "But I know what you mean…I'll be fine…"

"I'm sorry it had to come to this…" the brunette offers solemnly, trying to comfort her now ex lover in anyway she can.

"Me too…" is the once again quietly reply.

There is a silence between the two of them before Emily breaks it once again as she decides that it's time for her to go. "I'll…see you at work?"

"Yeah…" JJ says, getting up off the couch to follow Emily to the door. She watches as the older woman places the last of her things in the backseat of her car. She gives a small wave and leans dependently on the doorframe as the car pulls out of her driveway and disappears down the street.

JJ screws her eyes shut, and stands there for what feels like forever before she finally has the strength to get her legs to move to take her back into the house. She wanders through her living room, and collapses onto her couch where she picks up her phone and dials a number she knows by heart.

The phone rings a few times, before a slightly groggy hello is heard from the other end of the line. Unable to form a complete sentence, a strangled sob, escapes Jennifer's lips, immediately alerting Garcia that something's wrong.

**Casey Novak's Apartment; 3:15 am **

Casey groans and throws her pillow over her head when she hears knocking at her front door. The knocking continues which eventually ends with her shooting up in bed and throwing the pillow to the floor; as if it's at fault for not blocking out the dreaded noise. As she forces herself out of bed, she can't help but notice the loud continues noise of the rain that's pouring outside. It's nearing the dead middle of December and she knows that the rain is probably only a few degrees away from turning into snow. Just the thought that combined with the temperature of her apartment, gives her chills all over.

"Who the hell is knocking on my door at three in the fucking morning. Don't people know that I need to sleep." she mutters indignantly to herself as she trudges her way to the front door.

Too tired to looks through the peephole, Casey quickly undoes the locks and swings the door open to give who ever it is on the other side a piece of her min, only to freeze at what she sees on the other side.

Alex is soaking wet, her clothes clinging to her beneath the heaviness from her drenched coat. Her hair clings to her in stringy blonde strands, and Casey is positive that she's shaking from the freezing temperatures outside.

"Alex? What are you doing here…it's like three in the morning…" Casey asks sighing.

Alex opens her mouth to respond, but closes it when she can't form any words and settles on hanging her head in defeat. She's beyond freezing, and apart from the shame from assuming she looks like a wet rat, she can't bring herself to look the woman she loves in the eyes.

Casey sighs when she realizes she isn't going to get a response, and she pulls Alex into her apartment, softly shutting the door behind them. There is no word between the two women as Casey leads Alex into the bathroom. She quickly leaves, only to return later with a set of pajamas and a towel as she sits them on the counter for Alex to change in.

While Alex is in the bathroom, Casey returns to her kitchen to put on some water for tea. After making her preparations, she proceeds back into the living room, where she finds the frazzled haired blonde sitting on the couch, wrapped in her favorite blanket, staring blankly at the off television.

Sighing, the redhead takes a seat on the couch, receiving no response, though she can tell that the other woman is still shivering from the cold. There are still no words as Casey slides across the couch and wraps her arms around Alex tightly. Feeling Alex rest her head on her shoulder, Casey places a small kiss to her head, holding her tighter. Neither women still saying nothing for fear that their words can ruin the moment.

**So…this girl right here, is beyond frustrated. Somehow my computer decided to delete the documents to all my other stories, that being the uncompleted ones, that were more or less finished on my computer. So basically what I'm saying, is OTOS and even the vow are completely gone…when they were finished. That being said, I don't know when I'll restart on those again, so I hope you guys will bear with me. At the same time, I do have new ideas that I will write in the mean time to keep you guys engaged. **

**Also, I might be able to get the last chapter up today, since it's going to be relatively short. But that's only if you guys want it :3 leave a review? **


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: This is it guys, final chapter! Hope you all enjoy…well, enjoy as much as you can. Happy readings!**

**Approx. A Week and a Half Later **

The snow continues to fall lightly, but consistently on the day of Abbie's funeral, giving the cemetery a metaphoric calm, despite the dense mournful mood in the atmosphere radiating off of the group circling the casket. Dressed in the traditional mourning black and clutching white roses, no one speaks a word, but it isn't as if anyone is willing to.

Serena's free hand is clutching Alex's hand so tight that her knuckles are turning a ghastly white that has nothing to do with the cold. In fact, she's sure that she's felt Alex's hand go completely cold from the lack of circulation, but the older blonde hasn't said anything against it. Keeping her gaze angled at the snowy ground, Serena forces herself not to look up for fear of catching the gaze of Abbie's mother.

While one of her hands is being tightly clutched by Serena, Alex rests her head on Casey's shoulder while she seeks comfort in the arm that's wrapped around her waist. Just like the others', her heart weighs heavy, and all she can do is hope that her best friend doesn't collapse and have a panic attack. Glancing upward briefly, she catches sight of a woman with long dark hair glaring daggers into Serena as if she wishes the blonde would just drop dead right then and there.

Casey tightens her arm around Alex's waist as she stares blankly at what she calls the black death box that has stolen her best friend away from the world. It's things like this that make her think that she hadn't spent enough time with Abbie right before she went missing, and right before she died. She had been so caught up in her relationship issues that she felt like she had neglecting spending time with her best friend.

Olivia keeps her arms wrapped tightly around her trembling lover and she too prays that Amanda isn't about to pass out from an anxiety attack. Over the past week and a half, it's almost as if the blonde detective hasn't slept a wink, and the exhaustion and trauma is evident in her physical and mental/emotional appearance.

"Who is that woman…" Kim whispers to Casey after the retreat from placing the roses on the casket. "She's been glaring at all of us for the past fifteen minutes, more so, Serena in particular."

Casey looks up and glances at the dark haired woman that is now headed their way. She swallows thickly and glances back at the other attorney with a semi pained look on her face. "That's Abbie's mom…"

Serena tenses in Alex's arms when the two of them are approached by Abbie's mother, Julie, and she looks a little less than pleased. She glares at Serena before shifting her steely gaze to Alex, silently beckoning for the blonde to scram so she can say what she needs to say.

"I'm sorry that I had to see you again Serena. Especially given the circumstances." Julie says speaking to Serena but not taking her eyes off of Alex. "And, who are you exactly?"

"Alexandra Cabot." Alex states reluctantly offering the older woman her hand. "And you must be Abbie's mother…"

Julie snorts and refuses to shake Alex's hand. "Ah, the spoiled Cabot brat…of course, how could I have not recognized you. If you don't mind, I would like to have a word with Serena…alone."

Alex frowns as she opens and closes her mouth several times before she responds. "Anything that you need to say in front of her you can say in front of-"

"Alex, it's fine." Serena says softly, releasing her best friend's hand. "Just…go on with the other's and I'll catch up with you in a few."

Alex narrows her eyes once more and exchanges a hard glare with Abbie's mom before she reluctantly makes her way to the small group of her peers.

Serena takes a deep breath and turns back to the verbally abusive onslaught she's about to receive from Julie. She hands her head and waits for it to begin.

"I cannot believe that I allowed you to talk me into having my only child's funeral in this garbage can of a state." The brunette hisses harshly. "This would have been so much better if we had this in Texas like I had originally planned. It's what she would want."

"Mrs. Carmichael, with all due respect, I think that Abbie wouldn't have minded where her funeral was as…" the blonde trails off quietly, casting her gaze to the ground once more.

Julie snorts humorlessly and shakes her head. "Who are you to tell me what my daughter would want. God, I told her that she should have just come back home to Texas. She could have been a lawyer anywhere, but she had to stay up here in this godforsaken state, getting tangled up in this and that nasty business, and at what cost? I will never understand why she felt the need to stay here with you."

"Ma'am, I understand that, but Abbie loved her job here, and she loved me. She was only trying to-"

"Of course, 'she loved you'. Isn't that always how it is honey? She could have been so much happier elsewhere, but of course Abigail just refused to listen to anything that I had to say."

"I'm pregnant…" Serena blurts out, putting the woman's ranting to a complete and utter halt.

Julie pauses, her mouth hanging open from shock and disbelief. "What…what did you just say?"

Serena takes in a shaky deep breath and her hand involuntarily travels to her stomach. "I-I'm pregnant…" she repeats breathily. "We decided that we wanted to have a baby, and Abbie just…never told you. I'm sorry."

Clenching her jaw, Julie gives Serena one last dismissive and distasteful look before she spins on her heel and retreats back to the rest of the family.

A strangled squeak escapes Serena's lips and she feels arms wrap themselves around her once again, though the embrace seems stronger. She catches a flash of red hair, and she realizes that it's only Casey that's come to comfort her.

Having heard every last one of Julie's words, Casey allows Serena to cry into the fabric of her shirt. She can't believe the things that Abbie's mother has just said to Serena's face, and at her own daughter's funeral.

"God, Case, I'm completely useless now…" the blonde whimpers, clutching the fabric tighter in her fist.

"Don't say that. You're not useless, and if she doesn't want to be in her grandchild's life, then it's her loss. But I promise you that you're going to be a better mother than she ever was." Casey responds softly as the rest of their friends surround them with the same thing on their minds; Abbie is gone far too soon.

**Alex Cabot's Apartment **

"It was a lovely ceremony, besides Abbie's mother being a complete bitch." Alex says as she makes her way into her living room. "I mean honestly, who would act like that at their own child's funeral? It's absurd."

Casey nods her head and steps out of her dreadful heels that she hates so much. "Yeah, you should have heard the things she was saying to Serena. It was pretty nasty."

"That woman has got to be the spawn of Satan. You know she called me a spoiled brat? I am thirty five years, old, and I'm being called a brat." The blonde rattles on begrudgingly as she stares out of one of her windows. "God, I can only begin to imagine how Serena must feel because of that."

Casey moves across the living room and carefully wraps her arms around Alex's waist, resting her chin on her shoulder as they both stare out into the snowy canopy covering the city. "Are we okay? I want us to be…"

Alex leans back into the embrace and waits for a moment before she nods her head. "I want that too." She responds softly as she spins around. "I love you."

Instead of responding right away, Casey smiles and moves forward to capture Alex's lips in her own in a chaste yet passionate kiss. "I love you too. I think, that we can get this to work again.

"Good, because I want it too."

**I hope you guys enjoyed this story. It was very suspenseful, bumpy, and very, very tragic at the end there. But nevertheless, I hope you all liked it. **

**As for my next story…well, we'll just have to see then won't we? **

**As for the last time on my very first crossover story, Dangerous Collisions, Leave a review! **


	18. Epilogue

**Ahhh I know this is random but there is a reason that I'm posting it. Hope you guys enjoy!**

**Around 5-6 Months Later **

"Come on Rena sweetie, we're going to need you to give us another push. A big one this time." Alex coaches as she clutches her best friend's hand tightly in her own.

Serena shakes her head and drops her head onto the pillows of the hospital bed she's been occupying for the past seventeen hours. "Oh god, Alex, this hurts so much, I can't do it. I-I can't. It hurts too much."

"Serena you're going to have to, we have to get the baby out."

"No we don't. I'll just carry this baby with me for the rest of my life, I swear I'll do it."

Alex gives the distraught woman a small smile and gives her hand a gentle squeeze, regretting it deeply when Serena squeezes back because of another contraction. She isn't sure what's worse, being the one giving birth to the child, or being the one who holds the hand of the one giving birth to the child.

"Miss Southerlyn, on the next push we're going to need you to push extra hard this time so we can work the baby's shoulder's through." The doctor informs from the end of the bed.

"You hear that Rena?" Alex says happily as she tries to lighten the moment. "I read somewhere that once you work the shoulders through, the baby is practically out."

Serena glares up at Alex from where she was resting against the pillows again and gives the taller woman's hand a tight squeeze, one that was voluntary and not from the contractions but from the hormones. "I don't give a damn what you read somewhere. This fucking hurts, and it's going to fucking hurt for a long, long time. I want it out Alex. Take it out!"

"Serena I really don't think that there's very much that I could-"

"**TAKE IT OUT!**"

Unfortunately Serena's words are coupled with another contraction and she swears that she feels several of the bones in her best friend's hand pops as she gives that one big push that the doctor asked for. She's in pain, she's exhausted, and she would want nothing more than for this baby to be taken out of her right now.

"Excellent! Just one more push Miss Southerlyn, just one more." The doctor exclaims as she prepares to deliver the child.

Serena grunts and squeezes her eyes shut at the fact that she has to push some more. "Oh god, one more push, and that is the VERY last push that you are getting from me."

"Serena, I think it'll hurt more if they have to pull it out."

"Shut up Alex!" Serena snaps before she takes a few deep breathes, and one big one before she gives the biggest push that she's sure that she's given in the past seventeen hours. Not long after that push, she soon is over washed with an amazing sense of relief that leaves her panting against the coolness of the pillows. A very tired smile spreads across her face when she hears the oh so pleasant sound of a baby wailing.

"Oh Serena, she's beautiful!" Alex exclaims as she watches the doctors clean the baby up, weigh her, and check to make sure that she's healthy.

"That, indeed she is." the doctor explains as she walks back into the delivery room with the little bundle of joy wrapped in a pink blanket. "Congratulations." She purrs as she lays the baby down in Serena's arms.

Serena, having finally caught her breath, chuckles tiredly as she looks down at her squirming daughter. "Look at her Alex, she's perfect."

"She is perfect." Alex coos, leaning down to kiss her best friend on the cheek. "Just like her Mommy."

Serena's smile falls a little as she gently bounces the now calming newborn in her arms. "Yeah…I just wish that Abbie were here to see her." she murmurs sadly, still feeling the extensive pain at the loss of her beloved.

"She's perfect Rena, and I promise that Abbie would love her. Have you thought about what you wanna name her? Does Alexandra sound any appealing to you?" Alex asks hopefully, as her humor lightens the moment.

"It would freak the hell out of you if I named her Alexandra Elizabeth," Serena responds with a chuckle. "When Abbie was still here, I really wanted to come up with a name that flowed well with the middle name 'Ann', but now I really decided against that, partly because Kim would take it and run with it."

Alex's eyebrows shoot into her hairline and her mouth forms into the perfect 'O'. "Kim's middle name is Ann!?"

"Don't tell her I told you, she hates it."

"Kimberly Ann Greyleck, oh my god that is SO cute! But back to the baby, what's her name gonna be? Or are you going to be like high end Monarchs and release the name three days from now?"

Serena giggles and shakes her head as she watches her newborn daughter become extremely fascinated with her finger. "No, no, nothing like that. I want to name her Sierra Marie."

Alex hums and a smile spreads across her face as she analyzes the baby's name. "Sierra, I like that. Your family is pretty big on alliterations huh?"

"Alliterations. Your mother's name is Stacey Southerlyn, your name is Serena Southerlyn, and now we have little Sierra Southerlyn. It's cute. But if you don't mind me asking why Marie?"

"It was…Abbie's middle name." Serena murmurs rather sadly as she feels herself fighting tears once again. "I miss her so much Al, I wish she were here."

"We all wish she were here sweetie." Alex purrs as she lightly strokes the infants soft golden hair. "Now let me hold my goddaughter so I can begin to spoil her rotten already."

* * *

"Alex, you know that you're going to have to give her back right?" Casey jokes as she watches her lover become instantly attached to the newborn child.

"Please, you're gonna have to pry that baby out of her arms with a crow bar." Kim snorts as she watches Alex coon and swoon over Sierra. "I'm glad that I got my hold and cuddle in already, because at the rate that Alex is going, none of us would be able to hold the baby."

Serena rolls her eyes and her friends' playful banter and watches as her best friend practically fawns over her new daughter. She knows that it's mainly because Alex really wants to have children, and sadly, Casey has still yet to agree, but Serena hopes that will change as time passes. All she wants is to see her best friend happy.

"Now you guys stop it. You let Alex do all the swooning she wants. You almost never get to see this side of her you know." Serena says in a mock stern tone before narrowing her eyes. "Hey, just out of curiosity, where are Liv and Amanda? One of you called them right?"

The question makes Alex look up from the baby in her arms with what looks like a solemn expression on her face. "Uh, yeah, I did. Liv said that she would try to stop by later, but she wasn't really sure if Amanda would. She's still kind of…"

Serena 'ahs' and nods her head as Alex doesn't need to say anymore. She couldn't help but notice how the blonde detective acted around her for the longest of times after the incident several months ago, until she finally realized that it was because Amanda still blamed herself for Abbie's death.

"Oh, I understand." She responds, holding out her arms as Alex gives Sierra back to her Mommy.

"She really is a beautiful baby, Serena, and I'm sure you're going to be a wonderful mother." Casey says nicely as she wraps an arm around her girlfriend. She knows that Alex really wants a baby, but truth be told, Casey still really doesn't like the idea of raising a child. It's a subject that is still a work in progress.

The door to the room clicks open and shut, and none of the ladies think anything of it as they all assume that it's probably just a doctor or a nurse. What none of them expect is to see Julie Carmichael step into full view in the hospital room.

"Serena." Alex says flatly trying to gain her best friend's attention which is still on the baby.

"Hmmm what?" Serena hums happily as she looks at Alex but quickly turns her head following the other blonde's line of vision. Her eyes widen extensively when her sights land on Abbie's mother. "Mrs. Carmichael, what a surprise. What are…what are you doing here?"

"I've come to see you, and speak with you, if you don't mind." The dark haired woman speaks up, her voice of the cold and disdain that Serena is used to.

"Um, sure, girls, could you give us a minute?"

The three remaining women hesitate for a moment before they all file their way out of the hospital room, leaving the two other women to talk about whatever it is that they need to talk about.

The room is engulfed with silence before Julie turns her gaze down to the baby. "Is that…?"

"Yes…" Serena says nicely, smiling down at the still wide awake infant. "This is your granddaughter. Um…would you like to hold her?"

"Can I?" Julie whispers, thoroughly shocked when she feels Serena place the young child in her arms. "She's beautiful, she has your eyes. What's her name?"

"Sierra Marie."

"Marie…that was Abigail's middle name. Oh dear, she's just the most beautiful baby." The older woman says nicely failing to keep the tears falling from her eyes. "Listen Serena honey, about the way that I've treated you in the past, I'm deeply sorry. My behavior has been inappropriate, and I should have never made you feel the way I did."

"I understand Ma'am. You were only wanting what was best for your daughter, and if you saw that that wasn't with me, then that's fine."

"No dear, it's not fine. Abigail was a grown woman, and as her mother I should have respected her wishes. I had no business trying to meddle in her life the way I did. She loved you with all her heart, and I'm sorry that I couldn't see that. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I would really feel honored if you would allow me to be apart of little Sierra's life."

Serena smiles as she watches Abbie's mother and her newborn baby interact with each other. Surprisingly to her, it's one of the most adorable things in the world. "Of course, how could I deprive you of that?"

Julie looks up with tears in her eyes and the warmest of smiles spreads across her face. "Are you sure? Because after the way I treated you, I would understand if you…"

"I'm sure. It's what Abbie would want."

**Roughly Three Months Later **

"Madame foreman, how does the jury find the defendant?" Lena Petrovsky asks as she looks over her glasses towards the jury box.

"Your Honor, we the jury find the defendant Harrison Murphy guilty on all charges." The speaker of the jury reads loud and proud.

"The defendant is hereby given the maximum sentence on all charges and is to be immediately be escorted to the state federal prison. Court is adjourned." The judge speaks before banging he gavel and dismissing the court.

Serena lets out a breath that she hadn't know that she was holding and she stands on wobbly legs from her seat. To say that she was nervous going into this huge case was an understatement. She had worked cases before but not like that, and not the way that she did.

"You did great." Kim says as she pulls the slightly shaky blonde into a tight hug, slowly starting to get used to the fact that Serena is now in charge.

"Thanks, so did you." Serena responds as she returns the hug. This was her first huge case that she's worked since settling into her new job, and also the first case that she's tagged team with Kim on. Thankfully, both attorneys deem it a valued success. "I was nervous. Could you tell? It was like being in the driver's seat for the very first time."

Kim chuckles as the two of them gather their things in their briefcases and exits the courtroom. "You couldn't tell that you were nervous honey, I promise. You know what I thought while I was sitting there? I sat there and went 'damn, she's actually starting to look like Cabot up there'."

Serena makes a face before giggling and shaking her head. "Oh god no, I will NEVER be that horrifying in a courtroom."

"Well you came pretty close. When you did your cross examination, I swear Murphy pissed his pants."

"I think I was just pissed, tired, and ready to go home at that point. I have a three month old who keeps me up at night."

"Well like I said, you did great." Kim states before she stops and rests her hand on Serena's arm. "She would've been really proud of you."

Serena ducks her head and smiles sadly as she knows just who Kim is referring too, and she is sure that Abbie is very proud of her. "Thanks, I know she would be too."

"Well if it isn't Miss Southerlyn who just got a guilty verdict." Olivia states cheerfully as she approaches the chatting duo. "Congrats on your win."

"Thanks, I seem to be getting quite a few of those in the last few minutes."

"I can see why, I hear that was a pretty big win. How's the baby?"

"She's doing fine. Loud, messy, and keeping me up all night but I love her all the same. She's staying with my mother right now. How is Amanda doing? I feel like I haven't seen her in forever."

The detective inhales a sharp intake of breath and shoves her hands in her pockets. "She's doing alright. She's still…not the same as she was before, but I don't think that she's ever going to be the same again after all that happened. She's still blaming herself for Abbie's death."

Serena hums and nods her head in comprehension. "I figured. She knows that I am in no way holding her accountable right?"

"Yeah, trying telling her that. You know how she is. Anyway, I'll tell her that you said hello. Anyway, I gotta get back to the precinct. I'll see you guys later. Congrats on your win again."

"Bye Liv." Serena waves before she sighs and turns back to Kim. "I feel really bad for Amanda. She's been this way for months, I hope she'll be alright."

"After what she went through, I'm sure all of us are thinking the same thing."

**Meanwhile…**

Casey moves her lips from Alex's neck to her shoulder all the while massaging one of the blonde's breasts in her hand. She bites down on the flesh, succeeding in leaving a mark and earning a sharp hiss on response. "Has anyone ever told you that you are the most beautiful woman in the world?" she purrs before returning her attention to the new love bite.

Alex hisses again as she feels another sharp bite onto her shoulder and moans when those skilled hands pay even more extraordinary attention her body. "You may have told me once or twice, but I think that you should tell me again just in case."

Smirking against Alex's flesh, Casey props herself up on her hands before she moves down and softly takes her lover's lips in her own, articulating each one of her words with a kiss. "You" kiss "Are" kiss "The most" kiss "beautiful" kiss "woman" kiss "in the world."

"God I love to hear you say those words." Alex hums as she brings their bodies closes together. "Can you remember the last time that we made love like this?"

"No love, and pardon me for saying, that I did miss it dearly."

"I did too. How about we just stay in bed all day? We don't have anywhere that we need to be, and I'm sure that you wouldn't object to the idea."

Casey chuckles as she rolls off of Alex and plops down on the bed next to her. "You know me so well. You, me, an island with no distractions. I think that I'm loving this vacation idea that you had."

"Even if it meant dumping our work on everyone else back home?" Alex teases with a smirk.

"Yes, even if it meant duping our work on everyone else back home." Casey responds as she leans in and gives the love of her life a chaste kiss. "God, I love you."

"Forever and always?"

"Forever and always my love, forever and always."

**I hope that I didn't make the ending too cheesy. I have a really bad knack for doing that at the end of stories, I really do. Anyway, this is the end….OR IS IT? Like I said, there's a reason I made an epilogue. **

**Leave your feedback. **


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